Blue Tide

PROJECT ID

SME Name:

EcoMarine Malta

Country:

Malta

Subsector:

Nature / rural tourism

*Thematic Axis and Specific Topic:

  • Axis: Green transition and climate-conscious practices
  • Topic: Biodiversity protection

*These are Cross-Re-Tour-specific thematic axes inspired by the Transition Pathway for Tourism. The thematic axis were chosen based on what category best reflects the main contributions of the project.

PROJECT SUMMARY & NEEDS

Project summary

The project addresses a clear gap in Malta’s tourism offer: the absence of a dedicated, science-based digital tool connecting visitors and local communities with the islands’ exceptional marine and coastal environment in a responsible, educational, and engaging way.

Exploitation Area(s):

  • Client Nudging

SME needs adressed:

  • Create / diversify tourism offer
  • Improve digital visibility / sales

OUTPUTS & OUTCOMES

Solution implemented

Blue Tide created a modular, scalable web platform that combines interactive mapping, marine species education, guided coastal itineraries, immersive audio content, and a gamified ‘Explore & Win’ system rewarding sustainable behaviour.

Cross-Domain Innovation element

The SME adapted an Edutainment IT solution to the tourism sector.

Key ouputs:

  • development and implementation of a web app showcasing five categories of marine life species, alongside information on fishing industries and maritime activities affecting the ecosystem
  • 4 educational quizzes
  • 1 podcast

Key outcomes (Quantitative)

  • 9 external partners enrolled to the webapp as part of the creation of the Blue Community
  • An average of 1,000 unique visitors per week to the webapp

Key outcomes (Qualitative)

  • increased awareness and understanding of marine biodiversity and ecosystem pressures
  • improved ocean literacy through interactive and accessible educational content
  • strengthened engagement of external partners within the Blue Community
  • greater visibility of the impacts of fishing and maritime activities on marine ecosystems
  • increased public interest in sustainable marine and coastal practices

Lesson(s) learned:

IT solutions can facilitate the creation of communities to educate visitors and locals on green and marine environments and nudge them to behave in a more sustainable way.

CONTACTS

Website / Social Media

https://www.ecomarinemalta.com.mt/