The purpose of the Med Trails Network (MTN) is to reinforce the development of hiking and community-based tourism in order to foster local development in the Mediterranean basin and beyond.
The MTN addresses shared challenges related to developing, maintaining, managing and promoting long-distance hiking trails.
The Association aims to strengthen the role, competencies, and resources of Mediterranean Trails Associations and trail-related entities, empowering them to improve sustainable development, management, and promotion of trails, ultimately benefiting local communities.
It facilitates discussion and collaboration, fostering the exchange of ideas and best practices. It also encourages the development of partnerships and joint ventures.
The MTN works collaboratively to create common tools and solutions regarding trail standards, sustainable rural tourism, environmental conservation, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage preservation, and economic development along the trails.
The Network advocates for the sustainable development of hiking trails in the Mediterranean basin, ensuring adherence to international standards and responsible tourism principles. By achieving recognition in the trails sector, the MTN aims to encourage the development of new trails in the Mediterranean.
Working together as a network, we can ensure the people who live along the trail benefit from hiking tourism – and we can bring the beauty, vibrancy and rich culture of these lesser-known walking trails to a global audience.
The roots of MTN lie in a belief in the value of the trails and the communities that thrive along them in the Mediterranean region. A vibrant community of nature-inspired individuals – craftspeople, trekking guides, hikers, farmers, homestay hosts and restaurant owners. The founding members of MTN were united in a desire to shine a light on the hidden gems of the Mediterranean’s cultural and natural diversity, with a particular focus on the region as a treasure trove of nature and hiking destinations.
AFRAT, Tétraktys, the Palestinian Heritage Trail, the Jordan Trail Association, and the Lebanon Mountain Trail Associate have a longstanding partnership. MTN grew from those collaborations into a desire to connect trails across the Mediterranean.
We envisioned a network that would show hikers the beauty and biodiversity of underrepresented hiking cultures. And further than that, this network exists to encourage peace and understanding by sharing that which deeply unites us: a love for nature and the trails.
AFRAT was established to support rural communities to benefit from tourism development in the Alps.
Tétraktys founded, specializing in rural and mountain tourism.
Lebanon Mountain Trail Association established.
Palestinian Heritage Trail established.
Jordan Trail Association formed.
AFRAT, Tétraktys, PHT, JTA and LMTA sign a letter of commitment to establish the MTN collective.
On September 28 MTN was officially launched in Broummana, Lebanon.
The Palestinian Heritage Trail, the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association, and the Jordan Trail Association are the founding trail members, along with Tétraktys and AFRAT, of a network that we hope will grow to encompass all the Mediterranean hiking trails. The 1,825 kilometres of the existing network of trails encompass some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the Mediterranean basin.
The Palestinian Heritage Trail (PHT) is a non-profit community-based tourism initiative that develops a hiking trail known as the “Palestinian Heritage Trail” (PH Trail). The trail spans more than 80 Palestinian localities, promoting Palestinian identity, cultural diversity and exchange. The PHT aims to safeguard traditions and heritage, inspire storytelling and encourage friendships based on the advancement of human values. Additionally, the organization focuses on the preservation of the surrounding environment and the community’s needs for growth and education. PHT works closely and jointly with local communities to enhance their resources and capacities, ultimately providing opportunities for a better quality of life.
The LMTA is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Lebanon’s first national long-distance hiking trail, the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT) along with its side trails and network trails. The 600 km long trail crosses more than 76 towns and villages at altitudes of up to 2,073 meters above sea level.
The LMTA aims to promote the trail as a destination for rural tourism and well-being whilst conserving the natural resources and cultural heritage found along the trail. The organization supports economic development opportunities through responsible tourism, encouraged through targeted education, community mobilization and outreach initiatives.
Established as a Jordanian non-governmental organization (NGO) in July 2015, the Jordan Trail Association (JTA) aims to develop and maintain the Jordan Trail, promoting it to attract local and international tourists. The JTA also seeks to support the local communities along the trail, maximizing the potential socioeconomic benefits of increased tourism. This includes supporting the development of various local services and home-based industries that cater for the needs of hikers and adventurers. A vital goal of the JTA is to support a sustainable tourism model that conserves the natural environment and preserves the habitats along the trail.
Since its establishment, the JTA has succeeded in promoting the Jordan Trail nationally and internationally as a world-class adventure experience, receiving several important awards such as:
Tétraktys is a French NGO based in Grenoble, the capital of the French Alps. Founded in 1994, it focuses on sharing Alpine expertise at an international level in the fields of heritage preservation and promotion, sustainable tourism, and shared governance. Its actions always aim to improve the living conditions of rural and mountain communities worldwide.
With 30 years of experience, Tétraktys has built a broad skill set and an extensive network of stakeholders across the Alps and its countries of intervention, enabling the association to offer its expertise to local authorities and civil society stakeholders. Tétraktys is equipped to design innovative regional projects that combine local development, innovation, and transition strategies.
Experiences across 30 countries have demonstrated that heritage can empower local communities, even the most marginalized, by restoring their voice and pride and motivating them to play an active role in local development.
AFRAT or the Association pour la Formation des Ruraux aux Activités de Tourisme, is a multidisciplinary association concerned with the development and preservation of rural and mountain areas. The AFRAT team supports local and international organizations with sustainable tourism development and training, promoting livelihoods in rural mountain areas.
