Despite the growing emphasis on sustainability and innovation, women remain underrepresented in the business landscape of the South Adriatic tourism sector. Structural barriers, limited access to cross-border markets, and insufficient support networks have stifled the growth of female entrepreneurship, particularly in regions like Apulia, Molise, Albania, and Montenegro.

Enter NEW ICONS – New Icon Women in South Adriatic Tourism, an ambitious EU-funded project under the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme 2021–2027. With over €186,000 in funding and a consortium of strategic partners—including CNA Bari (Italy), Molise Toward 2000, Nucleus Albania, and the Business Start-Up Center Bar (Montenegro)—the project aims to cultivate an environment where women-led tourism businesses can thrive.

In the frame of this project, the B2B meeting between 10 women-led businesses in the tourism sector will take place on 6 May 2025, at the CNA Bari headquarters. The event aims to initiate exchanges and collaborations among entrepreneurial entities from Puglia Molise, Albania, and Montenegro.

As part of the initiative, the Joint Action Plan – developed through the project – will be presented. This plan will launch the experimental phase, laying the groundwork for the creation of a cluster of women-led businesses in the sector.

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