Become a Sea Star Hero!

Picture yourself this summer under the warm Adriatic sun invited to embrace your inner Sea Star Hero. In the Mediterranean tourist destination of Poreč, Croatia, a pioneering initiative, Become a Sea Star Hero, takes shape through collaboration between the Tourist Board of Poreč and the creative agency Studio Sonda to tackle marine pollution head-on, while reshaping the landscape of sustainable tourism.

Strategically positioned as a place for active and family holidays, the Croatian city of Poreč attracts travelers from all over the world. Yet, with this huge influx of visitors comes a challenge – the threat of pollution, with everyday plastics silently tarnishing the Adriatic shores. But fear not, for the Become a Sea Star Hero initiative rises to the occasion, turning environmental care into an attractive tourist activity. With sustainability as its compass, reflecting the positioning of the city’s desires to become a sustainable destination, and aligned with the UN 2030 agenda, this one-of-a-kind project turns beach cleaning into the collective experience. It calls on both visitors and locals to be stewards of the sea.
At the core of the initiative stands a strong sense of community, with over 1,125 Sea Star heroes in 2023 joining forces to combat marine pollution. Fuelled by a shared commitment to preserving the environment, participants from diverse backgrounds came together, removing a staggering 4,500 pieces of plastic debris from the Adriatic waters, and igniting a wave of positive change throughout the city of Poreč in just three months. The project was promoted and recognized as a praiseworthy innovative tourist product, with a positive reaction from the public, visitors, the media, and the project partners also at a global level, gaining recognition and support from WWF.

Today's modern travelers seek more than just sea and cuisine; they desire social responsibility, a conscientious journey, and sustainable options to positively impact their destination. Having that in mind, and unlike any other traditional clean-up efforts, the Become a Sea Star Hero takes a fresh and innovative approach, blending education, recreation, and rewards into a seamless experience for the modern tourist. That is why, the Sea Star Hero participants are not just cleaners; they are celebrated heroes, earning badges and coveted Sea Star status for their contributions, while enjoying exclusive perks at local spots as a token of appreciation for their environmental advocacy. As a result, what was discovered was that complex technology is not always necessary for a positive change - it is just important to encourage people to act and influence their behavioral culture. The cross-sectoral cooperation among the tourist board, the city administration, the town services in charge of cleanliness maintenance, hoteliers as partial beach concessionaires, alongside small hospitality business owners (restaurants and bars) and cultural spaces (in total 54 of them), who jointly implemented and mobilized the action and rewarded the participants, proved it to be globally an applicable model.

To effectively spread awareness and encourage visitor participation in our environmental mission, extensive promotional activities were implemented. Invitations to join the cleaning activities were displayed on TV screens in project partner Valamar's hotel rooms and mobile homes, personalized to address guests by their full name. Flyers were distributed in hotels, apartments, mobile homes, and private accommodations, as well as at information points in Poreč. Branded stations were set up on five beaches, featuring invitations and storage facilities for diving equipment, with QR codes linked to an official website containing instructions and a list of complimentary amenities in the city. Additionally, promotion was conducted through owned and partner’s social media channels, as well as PR texts on various portals and television appearances.

Buoyed by its initial success, Sea Star Hero is set to expand its reach in 2024 beyond Poreč's shores by 100% to include neighboring coastal communities of Pula, Tar, Funtana, Vrsar, and Rabac. Valamar, the largest hotel chain with 50 beach concessions, Telašćica National Park, and non-governmental association Lijepa naša (which awards Blue Flags to beaches for the protection of the sea and coast, and sustainable management and governance of the sea and coastline) have shown interest in the project for 2025/2026. Through partnerships with local entities, corporations, and hospitality providers, the initiative aims to inspire eco-conscious tourism, setting the standard for sustainable development along the Adriatic coast and beyond. Just imagine the global impact of this initiative if carried out on the shores all over the world! We extend heartfelt gratitude to the local institutions, organizations, and corporations that recognize the urgency of sea conservation: Tourist Board of Poreč, Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency of Croatia, Croatian Tourist Board, City of Poreč, Usluga Poreč, Valamar Riviera, Tourist Board of Tar-Vabriga, Tourist Board of Funtana, Tourist Board of Pula, Tourist Board of Vrsar, Maistra Belvedere Resort, Maslinica Hotel & Resort, WWF Adria, and all the hospitality providers.