This Friday, the European Climate Pact will ask local authorities to promote regenerative tourism practices in their territories, creating a “green certificate” for companies in the sector that are respectful of the environment.
The ambassador of the European Climate Pact in Portugal, Ana Agostinho, will leave the call to the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP) during the start of the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophywhich takes place in the Cascais marina.
For Ana Agostinho, “it is urgent to make a call to the ANMP to promote Sustainability standards and regenerative tourism practices across all Portuguese authorities.“.
“In each region, it is necessary to ensure that companies working with tourists involve them in sustainable practices, in order to reduce the environmental footprint generated by their movement and preserve biodiversity and cultural heritage,” he argued.
Companies should also, according to this official, promote awareness campaigns on regenerative tourism among their clients and also the local community must mobilize to defend the environment.
Ana Agostinho exemplified that “promotion can be done through social networks, Workshopsbrochures and videos in hotels, informing about how each tourist can contribute to ecological balance during their stay and what sustainable itineraries are.”
“Local authorities can help these companies to obtain the conditions to obtain a Green Regenerative Tourism Certificate, specifically through training activities for their employees and other members of the community,” he suggested.
The ambassador of the European Climate Pact has no doubts: “the tourism of the future will only be sustainable if it is regenerative.”
And so, “Portugal needs a more conscious and sustainable approach to tourism“particularly given the impressive visitor numbers the country has received,” he argued, pointing to “more than 30 million tourists in 2023,” meaning the environmental and social impact of tourism has become “a central concern.”
Source: Observadora
