Aware of the importance of maintaining a responsible tourist development in economic, social, environmental and cultural terms, and assuming the principle of the World Charter of Sustainable Tourism, the city of Barcelona is committed to promoting a touristic model based on respect, and the preservation and appreciation of the resources that make up our city.
In this way, our tourist policy is the result of the Strategic Plan, a process of reflection among all the fields involved in tourist activity, that proposes advancing in a systematic way towards the adoption of sustainable development models in favour of the environment, cultural diversity and social responsibility.
Our goals, by means of the Strategic Tourism Plan of the city of Barcelona for 2010-2015, are focused on:
- Achieving an improvement in the tourist activity in terms of sustainability, increasing its positive impact on the city, and the management of the possible negative effects.
- Fostering the integration of the visitor, boosting the necessary balance with the residents, and preserving the values of identity and co-existence.
Our aim is therefore to establish a commitment with the citizens, contributing in this way to the projection and consolidation of Barcelona as an innovative tourist destination, and one that is leader, sustainable, differentiated, and of quality.
Barcelona, 15th June 2011.
Biosphere World Class Destination
Certification as a responsible tourist destination
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
On the 29th October 2011, the City Council of Barcelona presented in the Municipal Plenary, the Government Measure of the Strategic Plan of Tourism for the city. The Plan aims to construct the bases of a touristic model that boosts the balance between residents and visitors, preserving the values of identity and of coexistence in the city, and establishing the actions to be carried out by the different public and private agents involved in the tourist sector of the city, so as to ensure the sustainability and continuity of the success in the future.
Already from the outset, the Strategic Plan of Tourism started up a process of reflection, with environmental, social and economic sustainability as the main values. The Plan assumes these principles and is based on a vision of tourism which doesn’t treat it as a closed and independent economic sector, but as a reality that is clearly transversal, including in the city its various economic, territorial, social and cultural aspects.
Furthermore, the Plan is committed to maintaining and consolidating the international leadership of Barcelona as an innovative destination and one of reference. One of its strategic lines of action is that of identifying environmental sustainability as one of the key axes for the competitiveness of the sector, taking into account the long and recognised trajectory of the city of Barcelona in issues related to sustainability and the environment.
The Municipal Commission for Economic, Promotion, Employment and Knowledge, in the session of the 13th July 2010, unanimously agreed to define an action plan for the introduction of a System of Responsible Tourism in the city of Barcelona.
The application of the System of Responsible Tourism signifies positioning the city as a leading, innovative tourist destination in terms of responsibility and sustainability, making sustainability a tourist product in itself, and a differential element of the touristic model of the city of Barcelona.
As a first step, for the introduction of the System of Responsible Tourism, on the 20th December 2010, the City Council of Barcelona signed the Responsible Tourism Charter promoted by the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR), a member entity of the UNESCO and the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
By joining the Responsible Tourism Charter, Barcelona aims to be committed to a touristic development of quality that ensures its sustainability. With its signature the city is committed to:
>Promoting an international debate around the problems related to cultural diversity and sustainability and its link to touristic development in social, professional or scientific forums.
>Developing ways of awareness-building and forms of cooperation among all the actors involved with the destination, aimed at safeguarding and giving value to cultural diversity and better knowledge of tangible and intangible heritage.
>Promoting and fostering the exchange of knowledge and best touristic practices aimed at boosting responsible tourism with cultural diversity and sustainable development.
>Promoting demonstration projects that serve as a reference for sustainable touristic development and that highlight the cultural diversity of the destinations.
>Incorporating cultural diversity as an essential touristic resource in the programmes of research, training and education specialised in tourism.
>Boosting the application of the new information and communication technologies as an instrument for assessing the cultural diversity of the destinations and providing a better comprehension of this resource by the tourists themselves.
>Incorporating policies and strategies of preservation and assessment of cultural and natural heritage in the process of touristic planning, giving special attention to intangible heritage, due to the fragile nature of this resource.
>Contributing to the creation, development and implementation of new tourist products and activities that foster the respectful use of the cultural, natural and intangible heritage.
Biosphere World Class Destination
Certification as a responsible tourist destination
The Strategic Plan of Tourism proposes a series of actions for the period 2010-2015, among which the Leadership Programme, tourism and city, gathers together various initiatives and projects to strengthen the strategic positioning of Barcelona.
Specifically, it is put forward as a proposed action for obtaining the certification as a responsible tourist destination, a Biosphere Destination, awarded by the Responsible Tourism Institute ITR.
With the System of Responsible Tourism, the City Council of Barcelona tackles sustainability from a global and integrating point of view, including its environmental, social and economic spheres. Therefore, included in the System and within the Biosphere brand are all the brands or labels related to partial aspects of sustainability (corporate social responsibility, quality of service, environmental management, etc.).
On obtaining the Biosphere World Class Destination certification and with the application of the System of Responsible Tourism, the city of Barcelona is committed to becoming an urban destination of quality, leader and innovator in responsible and sustainable, that are turned into specific actions such as social corporate responsibility, the quality of the service provided or the environmental management of the effects of the touristic activities.
The certification comprises 83 requirements structured in seven areas of analysis of the System of Responsible Tourism:
>Instruments for a policy of responsible tourism
>Conservation and improvement of cultural heritage
>Economic and social development of the destination
>Environmental conservation
>Management and control of the consumption of products and services
>Safety of the customer
>Customer satisfaction and involvement in the SRT
Once the documentary and onsite audit was passed, on the 29th June 2011 the Biosphere World Class Destination certification was awarded to the city of Barcelona by the president of the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR), Tomás Azcárate, the president of the UNESCO in Spain, Luis Ramallo, and the president of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Kelly Bricker.
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
From the 28th to 30th June 2011the annual meeting of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) was held in Barcelona, a forum of international debate around the topic of tourism with the participation of representatives from the GSTC, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as well as the managers of leading companies such as Meliá, Amadeus, Royal Caribbean, Tui and Google Travel.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), of which the city of Barcelona forms part, is an organism of the Foundation of the United Nations that gathers together more than one hundred institutions, entities or companies committed to the development of a responsible and sustainable tourism.
The criteria of the GSTC are:
>To demonstrate sustainable management.
>To maximise the economic and social benefits for the local communities and to minimise the negative impact.
>To maximise the benefits for cultural heritage and to reduce to the minimum the negative impact.
>To maximise the benefits for the environment and minimise the negative impact.
C. Llacuna 162, 2n. - 08018 Barcelona
Tel. 93 256 39 41
oficinapla@barcelonaturisme.cat
