The 6^th annual edition of this short intensive training programme took place in Malta between the 6^th and 15^th May 2009. It was organized by the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Insular Coastal Dynamics (ICoD), and was sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Malta Cooperation Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The programme provided hands-on training designed to enhance participants’ skills in support of the sustainable management of coastal leisure and recreational resources, within a broad objective of achieving economic development while protecting the natural resources upon which coastal tourism depends. The programme focused on the three main themes of beaches, yachting and niche tourism activities. The training course aimed to disseminate specialized knowledge as well as to provide a forum for discussion and consultation between participants and course faculty. Through the presentation of case studies and the sharing of participants’ work experiences at the national level, the course succeeded in achieving a significant level of skill transfer among the management personnel attending.

Training consisted of a combination of lectures and site visits/fieldwork concerning different aspects of coastal recreation. Lectures and case studies were presented by the local and foreign faculty, who also co-ordinated on-site fieldwork and trips to relevant sites around the Maltese Islands. Participants’ country presentations helped to form the basis for intensive discussions on the situations and techniques encountered in the real-life management of coastal recreational amenities.

The training course was attended by professionals holding senior/middle management positions within tourism ministries and environment or planning authorities. Selected participants had direct responsibility for planning & management and/or execution of tourism projects concerned with coastal recreation and leisure. Other participants included University students and intern from the International Ocean Institute. Participants were expected to be well acquainted with their local country practices, and were required to present a brief but well-informed paper focusing on a specific aspect of the management of coastal recreational resources.

The 7^th edition of this training programme was held in May 2010, and the next training programme is planned for April/May 2011. Further details about the programme can be obtained by contacting Dr Anton Micallef, Mr Robert Caruana or Ms Dorianne Cortis by email.

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