The event served to review the trajectory of the organization, which has contributed to defining the tourism model of Garrotxa through public-private cooperation, sustainability, and the preservation of the region's natural, cultural, and social values.
The commemoration highlighted the role of the people who have made this project possible and invited reflection on the future of tourist destinations and their contribution to the quality of life of the population.
Speakers included the mayor of Olot, Agustí Arbós; the president of the Diputació de Girona and the Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona, Miquel Noguer; the Director General of Tourism of the Generalitat, Cristina Lagé; the president of Turisme Garrotxa, Gemma Canalias; and the president of the Associació Hostalatge de la Garrotxa and vice-president of Turisme Garrotxa, Gerard Xifra.
Miquel Noguer highlighted Turisme Garrotxa's «proactivity, innovation, and openness to the future», adding that «the work you do at the regional level is complementary and essential for the Patronat and for the entire tourism ecosystem of the Girona counties».
Turisme Garrotxa originated from the creation, in 1996, of the Associació la Garrotxa, Terra d'Acolliment Turístic. A significant milestone was the awarding of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS) to the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa in 2001. With its fifth renewal in 2026, Garrotxa is the only destination with six accreditations, including the Alta Garrotxa Protected Natural Area.
Key initiatives include the creation of the Itinerànnia trail network (2004), the accreditation of thirty-seven Garrotxa tourism businesses with the CETS (2009), and the launch of Garrotxa Cultour (2014).
The conference «From Sustainability to Regeneration. Scenarios for Tourism within the Territory», led by Àngel Castiñeira, Director of the Leadership and Sustainability Chair at ESADE, proposed evolving towards development models that actively contribute to generating value for local communities.
The discussion continued with the conversation «Building Future Territories Together», featuring Àngel Castiñeira, the Director General of Tourism of the Generalitat, Cristina Lagé, and the Director General of Environmental Policies and Natural Environment, Marc Vilahur.
The commemoration included the screening of an audiovisual presentation on the values of Turisme Garrotxa and the entity's working methods, as well as the distribution of a booklet detailing its trajectory.
