The Deputación de Pontevedra goes a step further in its commitment to sustainable tourism by participating in the European project "Greentour"
The Deputación de Pontevedra goes a step further in its commitment to reactivate the tourism sector in 2021 by participating in "Greentour: circular economy and sustainable tourism in destinations in the SUDOE area". This European project was conceived to move towards a new environmental, economic and social model. At the same time, it is aimed at informing consumers and make them aware of the importance of the environment in the destinations where tourism activities are carried out.
The Deputación de Pontevedra has allocated a budget of 100,000 euros to the project, 75% of which is funded by ERDF. The total budget amounts to 1,172,000 euros, of which 75% is also funded by ERDF. As for Turismo Rías Baixas, it will be part, until 2023, of a consortium composed of members from Spain, Portugal and France, including the School of International Trade of the Pompeu Fabra University, Lloret Futur S. A., the University of Cantabria, the Camino Labaniego Foundation, EnergyLab, the University of Aveiro, the Laboratorio da Paisagem-Associaçao para a Promoçao do Desenvolvimento Sustentável and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme.
In order to improve the methods of management, preservation, protection and promotion of the natural and cultural heritage, "Greentour" will develop four environmental assessment tools, including a life cycle analysis tool, an eco-labelling software for holiday destinations, and will replicate, capitalise and promote them. In particular, Turismo Rías Baixas will conduct tests of the applications in the province of Pontevedra of the pilot tools created by Lloret Futur S.A. in Lloret de Mar in order to check if can be implemented in and adapted to the province.
Eco-labelling for holiday destinations
On the other hand, the Deputación de Pontevedra will help create eco-labelling software for holiday destinations by participating in a training workshop aimed at collecting data from the four tourism subsectors (hotels, restaurants and cafes, leisure and transport businesses). Moreover, an eco-label and a life cycle analysis (LCA) database on tourism activities and establishments will be created, which then will be available to the scientific community.
In addition, the Deputación de Pontevedra will help to develop tools aimed at assessing the environmental impact of tourism activity as a whole. This will enable it to move towards eco-efficiency in the sector and improve the management of its resources. These tools will have a series of environmental indicators, including the estimation of the carbon footprint, acidification, eutrophication or the formation of photochemical oxidants. For the development of these assessment tools, the consortium and other partners interested in the project will actively participate in the scientific-technical decisions, providing information and having an external control of results.
Finally, an open seminar will be held to train participants so as they can obtain the eco-label previously created and tested in Lloret de Mar, which will make it possible to carry out an environmental self-assessment of the destinations. From that moment on, the recommended criteria on circular economy will be incorporated in the tenders issued by the public administrations as regards tourism.
Thanks to this project, the provincial institution expects that, by 2023, rural tourism, accommodation, transport and restaurant businesses will bear this ecolabel. The aim is to meet ecotourists' demands, a population segment that has experienced a remarkable growth in the last 3 years. In addition, it proves its commitment to the Agenda 2030 and to sustainable tourism as a strategic sector in the province, focusing on sustainability and heritage, and providing advice and training for the tourism sector. In this regard, this year, the provincial institution has allocated 7.7% of its budget to cultural, tourism and sports reactivation, reaching 21 million euros.