Across the Black Sea Basin, tourism has long been a source of cultural connection, economic growth, and regional identity. Yet behind its success lies a shared challenge.

Coastal destinations face increasing environmental pressure, strong seasonal dependence, pollution, and slow adoption of innovation. Tourism businesses often struggle to access knowledge, technology, and international expertise that could help them become more sustainable and competitive. Recognising that these challenges cannot be solved by single institutions or countries alone, the project Interdisciplinary Solutions for Smart Sustainable Tourism and Services for Blue Growth in the Black Sea Basin was created to bring stakeholders together and inspire change.

The project united four committed partners – Varna University of Management (Bulgaria), International Hellenic University (Greece), Moldova State University (Republic of Moldova), and Istanbul Development Agency (Türkiye). Together, they shared a common vision: to transform tourism into a smarter, more sustainable, and innovation-driven sector through cooperation, knowledge exchange, and practical solutions.

At the heart of INTERSMARTS project lies the quintuple helix innovation model, which connects academia, business, public authorities, civil society, and the environment. This approach ensured that tourism sustainability was addressed not only as an economic issue, but also as a social, environmental, and policy-driven endeavour.

The start was in the creation of the INTERSMARTS Network – an open frame for cooperation that connects universities, tourism businesses, development organisations, public authorities, and civil society representatives across the region. INTERSMARTS network has functioned via four expert thematic task forces, chaired by the project partners, and performing a comprehensive cross-border needs assessment on the four key challenges affecting tourism development in the Black Sea Basin: overdevelopment of coastal destinations, pollution and waste management issues, strong seasonality, and limited innovation absorption in tourism services. The findings created a strong evidence base for developing practical and targeted solutions.

Building on this cooperation, the network task forces developed the INTERSMARTS Innovation Management Platform – a digital space designed to transform knowledge into action. The platform allows tourism stakeholders to explore real examples of sustainable tourism initiatives, access applied research resources, and collaborate to solve real sector challenges. It offers a dynamic environment where businesses can discover tested solutions, researchers can share expertise, and public authorities can access evidence-based knowledge to support policy development.

The platform was not created in isolation. It was tested and refined through pilot sessions and mentoring collaboratories in all partner countries, where tourism entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and policy stakeholders worked together to address real tourism challenges. These events demonstrated the power of collective intelligence and cross-border cooperation, proving that innovative solutions become stronger when diverse perspectives are combined.

INTERSMARTS has already created visible change in the region. Tourism businesses gained access to innovative sustainability solutions and new cooperation opportunities. Researchers and students participated in applied research and citizen science, gaining practical experience. Public authorities received valuable policy recommendations supporting smarter tourism planning and environmental protection. The project also increased public awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism and responsible use of coastal and marine resources.

The durability of the project results is ensured through the continued operation of the INTERSMARTS Network and the the INTERSMARTS Innovation Management Platform. Partners remain committed to using the platform as a training, research, and cooperation tool, while also developing new joint initiatives supporting sustainable tourism and blue economy development.

Looking ahead, tourism continues to face challenges linked to climate change, digital transformation, and evolving visitor expectations. However, these challenges also create opportunities for innovation and sustainable destination management. INTERSMARTS has laid the foundation for a new collaborative tourism ecosystem where knowledge, innovation, and partnership drive sustainable growth by connecting people, ideas, and solutions across borders.

The project received recognition by being awarded:

GOLD MEDAL at the EXCELLENT IDEA 2025 International Exhibition of Innovation and Technology Transfer in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, 23.09.2025

BLACK SEA PROJECT AWARD 2025 in category “Fostering Investment in the Black Sea blue economy", Black Sea CMA Stakeholder Conference, Constanta, Romania, 28.10.2025

WINNER OF THE WINNERS among the Black Sea Projects Awards 2025, Black Sea CMA Stakeholder Conference, Constanta, Romania, 28.10.2025