The programs, supported by European Next Generation funds, will introduce renewable energy systems, advanced water-saving technologies, and resource monitoring solutions. In the Canary Islands, €11.2 million will go toward cutting energy use and CO₂ emissions, while Catalonia’s €45 million plan focuses on ecological transition through efficient water management and sustainable upgrades in accommodations. Additionally, Valencia will invest €21 million in projects such as solar panel installations, and Asturias will dedicate €11.2 million to insulation improvements and energy optimisation.

These efforts underline Spain’s commitment to responsible tourism, ensuring its destinations remain competitive while protecting the country’s natural resources for future generations.

Ahead of travelling to Spain and its islands, visitors should check the requirements of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) which is gradually being implemented across the destination: 

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees  

For all press enquiries contact Jessica Harvey Taylor on Jessica.harvey@tourspain.es or the Spanish Tourist Office’s PR agency LOTUS on spain@wearelotus.co.uk 

The Mar de las Calmas,  off the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands, is planned to be Spain’s first fully marine national park. The area is already renowned for its biodiversity and underwater volcanic landscapes and is set to become the country's 17th national park. Currently, Spain has 16 National Parks, all terrestrial. 

Located off La Restinga, the southernmost settlement in Spain, Mar de las Calmas is home to a rich variety of marine life, including manta rays and one of the world’s most important communities of beaked whales. At the centre of the park is the famous El Bajón, an underwater mountain and a favorite spot for diving enthusiasts. The area has been a protected marine fishing reserve since 1996, which has helped preserve its ecological diversity.

If fully established, the Mar de las Calmas National Park will protect 24,000 hectares of marine environment, extending several miles offshore. The park’s designation will ensure the preservation of unique volcanic reefs, caves, and deep-sea habitats that support various species, including sperm whales and whale sharks.

A public consultation process is now open, with a bill to be introduced in Parliament for final approval. If successful, the Mar de las Calmas will set a precedent for marine conservation in Spain.

The island of Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands, has been certified as a Biosphere Sustainable destination as of 2024, following three years of demonstrating its proven commitment to improving its sustainability practices.  

The prestigious Biosphere certification, part of the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI), is awarded to destinations with verifiably sustainable practices being carried out correctly. The certification guarantees that the destination is complying with the commitments it has made to sustainability and conservation. Biosphere certification not only addresses a destination’s environmental and economic commitments, but also its commitment to socio-economic sustainability, making the accreditation a holistic indicator of a destination’s dedication to being as sustainable as possible. 

Since December 2021, Gran Canaria has been working to demonstrate its commitment to becoming a more sustainable destination, aligning itself with three pillars of sustainability: socioeconomic, environmental and territorial. Three years on, in December 2023, Gran Canaria passed an audit, which examined the island’s work against the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030. Gran Canaria was one of the top 15 European destinations with the most accommodations with sustainability certifications. At least 38 companies on Gran Canaria are certified for their sustainable practices, with many more in the process of obtaining certification. 

ON 25 January 2024 at FITUR in Madrid (one of the world’s leading travel trade shows), the Secretary General of RTI awarded the Biosphere distinction to the president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, and the councilor of Tourism of Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo. 

Gran Canaria is characterised by its distinctive volcanic landscape and for its exceptional biodiversity, which is most densely concentrated at the Gran Canaria Biosphere Reserve, alongside being the home of the UNESCO-listed cultural site of Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria, where there has been found evidence of pre-Hispanic settlements.  

 For more information on Biosphere companies and travel in Gran Canaria, visit here. 

 For more information on visiting Gran Canaria, visit here.