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The Spanish and British travel industries were united in the second edition of ‘Spain Sustainability Day’ which took place both in person at The Conduit, London, on 18 April 2024 and via live streaming.  

Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, officially opened the event, outlining the special relationship between the United Kingdom and Spain and the objective of creating dialogue between the two countries to transfer knowledge in the field of travel and sustainability. He outlined Spain’s tourism ambitions of season extension; with peak season visits dropping 1% year-on-year from 45% to 44%, and geographical diversification, with Spain’s Northern regions driving a larger tourism share in 2023 (up 23% year-on-year).

The dual language conference, moderated by Richard Hammond, director of Green Traveller productions and sustainable travel writer, included speakers from across Spain and the UK’s travel and transportation industries with panel sessions on circular economy, biodiversity and accessibility.

The event was sponsored by Visit Benidorm, part of the Region of Valencia, and the Balearic Island of Mallorca. Leire Bilbao, director of Visit Benidorm outlined the city’s 18% reduction in water-usage over the last 25 years, despite a 40% population growth, whilst Susana Sciacovelli, director of tourism (demand and hospitality) at Mallorca Council showcased the island’s responsible tourism pledge and roadmap towards transformation.

Circular Economy

The first panel featured Gabriel Llobera Ramis, marketing and communications manager at Garden Hotels, Nadine Pinto, global sustainability manager at The Travel Corporation (TTC), Carol Rose, head of sustainability at ABTA, and Coralía Pino, head of Sustainability at ITH (Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero).

The session stressed how now is the time to adjust our mindsets and employ disruptive thinking. Carol Rose reiterated the need to keep products in the industry for longer and touched on the impact of the hotel industry contributing not just to food and energy waste but also to textile landfill which accounts for a total of 92 million tonnes of waste per year.

Coralia Pino discussed Spain’s initiatives within the hotel industry outlining how the 2008 crisis forced hotels to look at energy efficiencies. She reminded delegates that food and energy expenditure are the second and third largest cost areas of all hotel operations, therefore emphasising how circular economy is vital, both for business and the environment. Likewise, Nadine Pinto discussed the impact of hotel merchandise and making bolder choices around in-room amenities.

Gabriel Llobera Ramis from the Balearic-based Garden Hotels showcased the group’s pioneering organic waste management and compost production, as well as the need for public policy with the Balearic Island archipelago recently initiating its ‘law of circularity’ for all hotels across the islands.

Biodiversity - impacts and Interventions

The second panel featured Terry Brown, destinations programme manager at The Travel Foundation, Dylan Walker, wildlife tourism expert at Wildlife Heritage Areas, Blanca Pérez Sauquillo, SG marketing at Turespaña, José Marí Olano, Councillor for large projects, Valencia Green Capital and Zina Bencheikh, managing director at Intrepid

The panel discussed biodiversity in tourism and how tourism is critical in terms of connectivity and education. The emphasis was on community in wildlife tourism and creating respectful bonds between wildlife and visitors with valuable initiatives, such as MEET (Mediterranean Experience of EcoTourism), creating a network of protected areas that are collaborating to engage communities locally in nature conservation.

Blanca Perez Sauquillo discussed the need to also educate the conscious consumer with digestible and effective messaging, while Zina Bencheikh, Managing Director of Intrepid said “it’s about doing the right thing and educating our customers.  They don’t always know the right choice until we offer it.”

From a more urban context, José Mari Olano discussed Valencia’s status as Green Capital 2024 and how cities can adapt their tourism proposition and urban planning to benefit both residents and visitors.

Accessibility & Inclusivity

The third and final panel was moderated by Meera Dattani, senior editor at Adventure.com and travel and culture writer and included Angus Drummond, CEO at Limitless Travel, Alberto Gutiérrez Alberca, Valladolid traffic and mobility executive, Miguel Carrasco, director of tourism at Impulsa Igualdad and Susan Deer, director of industry relations at ABTA.

The session started with an inspiring Spanish welcome from Spain’s ‘Spain for All’ ambassador and special guest, Ade Adepitan, who has lived, worked and travelled throughout Spain. 

Quoting the World Health Organisation figures, Adepitan highlighted how 1.3 billion people worldwide (or 16% of the global population) have some kind of disability. He said, “whilst not all of these people want or have the means to travel to Spain, even if we’re only talking about a small percentage, this is still a vast number of people that should be given the opportunity to enjoy what millions of non-disabled people enjoy every year, the beauty of taking a holiday.”

Angus Drummond, CEO of Limitless Travel, talked eloquently about his own personal travel experiences which inspired him to subsequently set up Limitless Travel. He said, “ultimately people with disabilities are the same as other consumers, whilst yes, they may need an adapted bathroom, they also want a great travel experience, a great bar and essentially the same as every other customer.”

Alberto Guitierrez from Valladolid talked about the progress being made within urban transportation, and the need for digital accessibility, whilst both Miguel Carrasco from Impulsa Igualdad and Tur4All, and Susan Deer, head of Industry Relations at ABTA stressed the importance of information, transparency, and training.

Keynotes

Keynote speeches were delivered by Nejc Jus, Director of Research at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Charlie Cotton, Founder of Ecollective Carbon

Nejc Jus showcased the WTTC’s latest tourism data with the 2023 global indicators putting the tourism sector’s worth at 9.9 trillion US dollars and 1.63 trillion visitor-spend. Forecasting ahead over the next ten years, the WTTC expects tourism to represent 11.4% of the global economy and 12.2% of all jobs. The data also looked at environmental and social factors from across 185 countries indicating that in 2019 when tourism was at its peak, the tourism sector contributed 8.1% to Greenhouse Gas emissions with transport accounting for the largest part of these emissions.  

The final keynote hosted by Charlie Cotton from Ecollective started with the carbon impact of tequila, beer and wine and looked at reduction through design, taking into consideration our transport, food and hotel choices. His motto ‘progress over perfection’ was an important takeaway as well as his recommendation is to “get obsessed with your number”.

Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office (UK) says:

“Thank you to everyone who has played a part in this important event. We were delighted to touch on so many important topics within our sector and hear from so many experts in the field. It really is a fantastic opportunity to share important learnings from across the sector with a specific focus on these two major travel destinations”

The afternoon conference was followed by Spain’s Media Awards opened by the Spanish Ambassador and recogising the best travel content by UK writers showcasing themes which correspond to Spain’s sustainable tourism pillars.  

Prior to the media awards, a ‘Special Recognition Award’ was presented by Lyn Hughes, founding editor of Wanderlust Magazine to Luis Gallego Martín, CEO of International Airlines Group (IAG), for his part in creating the roadmap to becoming the first global airline group to commit to becoming net zero by 2050 and the first European airline group to set the target of 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2030. Further details and a full list of winners and runners-up are available here.

The Spanish tourism sector is making great efforts to ensure that the competitiveness of the sector is based on the pillars of sustainability. An example of this commitment is the ongoing work for the development of the future Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2030. It aims to help lay the foundations for the transformation of Spanish tourism towards a model of sustainable growth.

The below report, produced by TurEspaña and the Travel Foundation, aims to support Spain's tourism suppliers to meet the expectations of operators and investors when it comes to ESG and sustainability. By supporting its suppliers to offer low carbon, positive impact holiday choices to visitors seeking authentic experiences, Spain can solidify its reputation as a leading sustainable destination, foster long-term loyalty by UK holidaymakers and demonstrate its readiness to support its suppliers to meet the expectations of operators and investors.

DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT 

Spain will be focusing on its sustainable tourism strategy which places emphasis on seasonal and geographical diversification as well as economic, social, and environmental sustainability. To be  added to the Spanish Tourist Offices’ media distribution list, please contact spain@wearelotus.co.uk.

EVENTS

Understanding the impact of new UK sustainability regulations for Spanish tourism suppliers (Dual language: English/Spanish)

• Tuesday, 7 November, 10:30-11:10 am, Stand N5-200 (private room)
• The Spanish Tourist Office in partnership with The Travel Foundation for the launch of a comprehensive report outlining the changing UK regulations surrounding climate and the environment, and the impact on Spanish tourism suppliers. RSVP: Jesus.ruiz@tourspain.es
• *Note space is limited and places will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis

Celebrate the most sustainable tour operator to Spain  

• Tuesday, 7 November, 11:15 am, Stand N5-200
• On stand awards in collaboration with Wanderlust Magazine to celebrate the most sustainable tour operators to Spain.   Places are limited and are available for media and trade who either write about or sell Spain. Register interest via Spain@wearelotus.co.uk

INTERVIEWS

Very limited interview opportunities for Spain’s tourism heads are available for UK national newspapers and broadcast. Please email: spain@wearelotus.co.uk

The conference, co-sponsored by destination partners Turismo Lanzarote and Menorca Tourism Board; both celebrating 30 years of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status in 2023, included panels and keynote speakers from across the travel and transportation industries to discuss and debate the current tourism challenges.

Sessions were moderated by Richard Hammond, executive producer of Green Traveller Productions and speakers and panellists included representatives from ABTA, The Travel Foundation, Iberia, easyJet, Costa del Sol Tourism Board,  Renfe, Paradores, Intrepid Travel, the Aviation Environment Federation, Pura Aventura and more. 

Following the afternoon conference, Spain’s first ‘Sustainable Media Awards’ took place in the evening. 

Conference Overview:

The conference was officially inaugurated by Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, who outlined how Spain's Sustainability Day was created to encourage important dialogue between the countries. 

Miguel Sanz, general director of Turespaña, gave a foreword identifying the path that Spain is currently on in terms of sustainable transformation. He outlined how 3.4 billion euros from the European Next Generation Fund has been allocated towards the sustainable transformation of tourism in Spain.  1.9 billion euros of this has been assigned to sustainability and modernisation projects proposed by Spanish destinations. 

Panel 1: Decarbonisation – the transition to true net zero

The panellists featuring Graeme Jackson from The Travel Foundation, Susan Deer from ABTA and Natalia Bóveda from the Costa del Sol tourism board agreed that collaboration between destinations is essential to be able to reach shared goals. 

Graeme Jackson from the Travel Foundation warned that based on today’s scenario and The Travel Foundation’s recent report, the tourism sector will not hit the interim 2030 target of halving emissions, but could get to net zero with huge investment and policy change. 

Susan Deer from ABTA talked about the need for education and training and how breaking down jargon is vital. She discussed how driving talent in this area also means recruitment from other industries. Meanwhile Natalia Bóveda from the Costa Del Sol tourism board outlined the value of reporting mechanism for visitors and industry partners to understand the carbon impact. 

Panel 2: Creating better places to live in, to work in, as well as to visit 

This second panel featured Hazel Plush from Intrepid Travel, Matt Callaghan from easyJet Holidays, Diego Otero from Galicia’s tourism cluster and Jose Guillermo, honorary chairman of Spain’s Hotel Institute (ITH).

The panellists focused on the tourism impact on local communities with Matt Callaghan first addressing how to become more sustainable in the mainstream space. He touched on the value of extending the season including easyJet Holidays’ stay-longer campaign.

Hazel Plush demonstrated how tourism companies can support social enterprises as part of their tour programmes, helping to raise the profile of important issues whilst generating sources of income for communities.  Meanwhile Diego Otero discussed how tourism can support other sectors such as fishing in a more direct way to drive the benefit of the tourism pound. 

Jose Guillermo discussed the value of the circular economy. He mentioned the example of the Balearic Islands as a leading case with a law in place to ensure that all the hotels within the archipelago have a circularity plan.

The panel also touched on technology as an aid to sustainable transformation by looking at elements such as food waste to help reinforce and reforecast food ordering. 

Panel 3: Going Green – The Future of Sustainable Transport 

The third and final panel on the future of sustainable transportation featured Jane Ashton from easyJet, Teresa Paredo from Iberia, Cait Hewitt from the Aviation Environment Federation and David Martín from RENFE. 

This in-depth discussion presented conflicting viewpoints. Easyjet’s Jane Ashton initiated the discussion talking about easyJet’s holistic approach. She said how their “forensic focus” aims to reduce the impact today for a better tomorrow, including the reduction of carbon intensity. Cait Hewitt from the Aviation Environment Federation however claimed that green tourism cannot include flying, and the sector is nowhere near where it needs to be, questioning the effectiveness and challenges of SAF. 

Teresa Parejo pointed out how aviation accounts for “2 to 3%” of global emissions which she says “doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously” however she states that aviation emissions is a complex problem that cannot be simplified. 

Jane Ashton, touched on legislation and how this is required to drive the production of SAF. She acknowledged the challenges and opportunities of SAF and the positive development of hydrogen saying, “more ground and rig tests are planned over the next few years”. Ashton expects small hydrogen planes to be operating in the next few years, with larger operations by 2035. 

David Martin from RENFE, Spain’s rail network, talked about how planes and trains need to work together and collaborate with multiple initiatives already in place. He talked about the progress of the high-speed networks throughout Spain and initiatives to bring more residents into the public transportation system with initiatives to low-cost travel, ensuring it is accessible.

Keynote speakers

Tom Power, CEO of Pura Aventura, gave a keynote speech titled “Why now is the time for action”.  He emphasized how the intention and action gap in travel is greater than anywhere else and that there is dissonance in the language between what the industry says and what consumers hear. 

Power does not think customers will demand alternatives, but they do want to be supplied with fantastic experiences saying, “we need to act now, not because consumers are demanding it, but because it is an opportunity”.  

Pedro Saura, the president of Paradores, Spain’s network of state-run heritage properties, touched on the evolution of the hotel and hospitality industry including sustainable initiatives being spearheaded by the group.

Awards Ceremony

The afternoon conference was followed by Spain’s first ‘Sustainable Media Awards’ recognising the best travel content by UK writers showcasing themes which correspond to Spain’s sustainable tourism pillars such as seasonal or geographic diversification, forming a connection with local people and cultures, visiting lesser visited areas and taking part in low-impact activities such as cycling and walking, as well a travelling by train and other forms of public transport.

Prior to the media awards, Wanderlust Magazine presented a special ‘Spain Sustainability Champion Award’ to Gabriel Escarrer, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Meliá Hotels International, for being a pioneer and driver of sustainable tourism not only within Spain, but globally; working to inspire and innovate across the hospitality industry to minimise its environmental impact and generate a global net positive impact.

All media award winners and runners-up can be viewed here.

The full event programme and delegate list can be viewed here. 

GO TO IMAGE GALLERY 

Manuel Butler, Director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK.

The awards were announced at a ceremony at The Conduit, London on Wednesday 26 April 2023, following Spain’s first ‘Sustainability Summit’ which featured important discussion and debate on key issues relating to the travel industry and sustainability. 

The awards recognise the best travel content by UK writers showcasing themes which correspond to Spain’s sustainable tourism pillars such as seasonal or geographic diversification, forming a connection with local people and cultures, visiting lesser visited areas and taking part in low-impact activities such as cycling and walking, as well a travelling by train and other forms of public transport.

Prior to the media awards, Wanderlust Magazine presented a special ‘Spain Sustainability Champion Award’ to Gabriel Escarrer, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Meliá Hotels International, for being a pioneer and driver of sustainable tourism not only within Spain, but globally; working to inspire and innovate across the hospitality industry to minimise its environmental impact and generate a global net positive impact.

The winners and runner-up for each category in Spain’s Sustainable Media Awards 2023 are as follows:

Sustainable Blog, Vlog or Podcast of the Year 

RUNNER-UP: Teresa Gomez - A 5-day Northern Spain itinerary trip (Brogan Abroad)

WINNER: Jodie Dewberry - How to enjoy sustainable tourism in Mallorca: 21 ecotourism experiences for every traveller to enjoy (Alajode)

Online Consumer Sustainable Tourism Feature of the Year 

RUNNER-UP: Vincent Crump - Beach-hopping along Menorca’s ancient walking trail (thetimes.co.uk)

WINNER: Manni Coe – A lesson in slow travel: walking the Camino de Santiago with my brother (The Guardian)

Consumer Magazine Sustainable Tourism Feature of the Year (print) 

RUNNER-UP: Chris Fitch - Bears in mind (Geographical Magazine)

WINNER: Jessica Vincent - Dine out in Galicia's Unofficial Restaurants (Food by National Geographic)

Consumer National Newspaper Sustainable Tourism Feature of the Year (print) 

RUNNER-UP: Xenia Taliotis - Spain's greenest Sierra (The Sunday Times)

WINNER: Chris Haslam - We're going on a bear hunt (The Sunday Times)

The judges of Spain’s Sustainable Awards were:

·       Carol Rose, Senior Sustainability Manager at ABTA

·       Thomas Power, CEO of Pura Aventura

·       Richard Hammond, Founder of Green Traveller

·       Manuel Butler, Director of The Spanish Tourist Office in the UK.

Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office says:

“Sustainable travel is at the heart of our strategy here at the Spanish Tourist Office and we are delighted to see the variety and quality of the pieces submitted for our inaugural media awards. I would like to congratulations everyone that made the shortlist and we thank the UK media for illustrating such important topics.” 

Spain's first Sustainable Media Awards. From left: Kate McWilliams, MD at LOTUS; Miguel Sanz, General Director Turespaña; Richard Hammond, founder of Green Traveller; Jessica Vincent,  travel writer; Liz Edwards, The Times; Xenia Taliotis, travel writer;  Thomas Power, CEO of Pura Aventura; Carol Rose, Senior Sustainability Manager at ABTA and Manuel Butler,  Director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK. 

Spain's first Sustainable Media Awards. From left: George Kipouros, CEO and editor in chief at  Wanderlust; Gabriel Escarrer,  CEO Meliá Hotels International; Miguel Sanz, General Director Turespaña and Manuel Butler,  Director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE IMAGE GALLERY

Thank you to our co-sponsors Visit Lanzarote and Menorca Tourist Board and our drinks partner Wine Shop Lanzarote. 

At the International Tourism Fair in Madrid, representatives of Palma weighed up the 2022 season during a round table discussion, outlining how the city has evolved towards a more efficient and competitive tourism model. 

The Palma City Councillor for Tourism, Elena Navarro, laid out the new infrastructure projects that Palma will implement over the coming months to improve both visitors’ stays and the quality of life of residents. Such projects include the transformation of the beach promenade, the Paseo Marítimo, and the repaving of the Plaça d'Espanya, from where visitors can take the popular wooden train to Soller. A new tramway project has also secured funding and will facilitate better connections, making the city easier to navigate than ever before. In recent years, Palma has also renewed 165 buses and created several new routes, in addition to tripling the number of Bicipalma bicycles available across the city.

Cosmopolitan tourists are helping to de-seasonalise tourism in Palma thanks to their interest in the city’s quality cultural, gastronomy and traditional experiences outside of the sun and beach proposition. Likewise, where winter is usually difficult for the island as tourism slows down, this year thousands of visitors from all over the world will attend conferences hosted in Palma, such as the Aquatic Sciences Meeting and various training sessions for market-leading multinational corporations. 

The campaign entitled ‘The Ultimate Escape’ was the brainchild of Manuel Butler, UK director of Turespaña to reward the travel sector for its dedication and tireless hard work during the pandemic.

The launch of the Ultimate Escape was announced at UK travel industry event, the Travel Weekly Globe Awards, and will provide 85 agents with a four-night break to either Andalucía, the Balearic Islands, Valencia or Galicia.

The trip will include flights, four nights’ B&B accommodation and a special one-day itinerary that includes lunch and dinner and will showcase Spain’s beaches, culture, gastronomy, wine and activities.

Agents can be nominated by a manager or a supplier partner here.