The event, jointly organized by the Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa, Turisme Garrotxa, and the Consorci de l’Alta Garrotxa, among others, emphasized the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism as a tool for joint work and continuous improvement in the tourism sector. The meeting took place at Mas Sobeies, in Vall de Bianya.
The session was inaugurated by Marc Toboso, mayor of Vall de Bianya, and included reflection spaces on CETS work areas. Arnau Dorca Tomàs presented the Charter's development status, which has expanded its territorial scope to the entire Protected Natural Area of Alta Garrotxa. Opportunities for improving energy efficiency in tourism businesses were also discussed, with contributions from Laia Tarradas Mascarreras and Ma. Àngels Pita, and best practice experiences from establishments like Cabanyes entre Valls and Hotel Bell Repòs were shared. Linguistic sustainability was also addressed by Oriol Ampuero.
“"The CETS accreditation is much more than a badge: it represents recognition for companies participating in a continuous improvement process and contributing, through their activity, to advancing towards a more responsible tourism model."
A central moment was the awarding of CETS accreditations to participating companies, with an intervention by Anna Estella, Deputy Director of People and Nature at the Generalitat de Catalunya. The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism is a shared working tool to define objectives and coordinate actions among protected natural areas, public administrations, and tourism businesses. The Consorci de l’Alta Garrotxa particularly values this governance dimension, which connects natural heritage conservation with economic activity.
The conference served to strengthen collaboration and highlight the role of companies making concrete commitments to improve their sustainability. The challenge is to transform these commitments into real actions for the conservation of natural spaces and responsible tourism development.
