The IV National Ecotourism Congress will be held in Guadix (Granada) from November 13 to 15, 2019, a town in the area of ​​influence of the Sierra Nevada National and Natural Park, one of the destinations attached to the Ecotourism Club. Ecotourism. This natural space is part of the territory of the Granada Geopark candidacy promoted by the Provincial Council of Granada, and which is pending approval by UNESCO.

The Congress will bring together all the actors involved in the creation, promotion, promotion and marketing of ecotourism in Spain. 229 people have registered; tourism technicians from 12 autonomous communities, representatives of regional environmental administrations, managers of rural development groups, local entities, tourism associations, tourism companies, specialized travel agencies and universities.

This meeting serves to analyze the current situation of the tourism product, present the progress in promoting the Ecotourism Observatory in Spain, learn about the main initiatives of public and private actors, give participation to small tourism entrepreneurs located in the areas of spaces to show their experiences, disseminate this product as one of the most beneficial for rural areas and propose initiatives that reinforce the promotion of the product and its network of destinations in Spain. It is a unique and very useful initiative as it involves a fam trip and a recruitment pool with specialized foreign agencies. It also represents a boost to the ecotourism tourism product and favors the conservation of natural spaces and sustainable development.

It will have 30 speakers, 3 debate tables, 4 groups that will analyze ecotourism success stories from all over Spain, a space for exchanging experiences in which 30 congressmen will be able to tell their examples of destination and business management of ecotourism. A contracting meeting will also be held where representatives of destinations and business associations will be able to meet with 14 tour operators from the UK, Germany, USA, France, Finland and Norway to boost the marketing of Ecotourism in Spain.

Ecotourism, an opportunity for rural Spain

This motto has been chosen because ecotourism is one of the tourism products that can be developed in the best conserved areas of the country, which usually coincide with the most depopulated regions. This Congress will have as its main speaker Ignacio Molina, Director of the Demographic Challenge Office. The meeting is structured into different thematic blocks with presentations and round tables on management of ecotourism destinations, national and international promotion, and ecotourism training and qualifications.

Success stories will be presented on hiking and cultural ecotourism, nature observation and photography, marine-coastal ecotourism, astrotourism and geotourism. There is also a space for destination managers and small tourism businesses to present their experiences. Attendees who wish to do so, as in previous editions, may become speakers and share their professional experiences. In addition, a program of guided tours has been prepared for all attendees during the afternoons of the Congress and an extensive program of activities for the 16th and 17th (Sierra Nevada Ecotourism Festival).

The Congress will also be an opportunity to show the Sierra Nevada National and Natural Park, one of the few spaces included in the “Green List” of the IUCN (World Conservation Union), accredited with the European Tourism Charter Sustainable since 2004 and with 29 companies also participating. Sierra Nevada also celebrates this year the 20th anniversary of its declaration as a national park and the 30th anniversary of the creation of the natural park.

The Ecotourism Association in Spain, a benchmark in the sector

The National Congress is an initiative promoted by the Ecotourism Association in Spain that has constituted a reference for all actors involved in promoting ecotourism. The Congress is supported by the Secretary of State for Tourism since its inception in 2016 with the Daimiel Declaration on ecotourism. The Organizing Committee of the IV Congress is made up of the Secretary of State for Tourism, the Autonomous Organization of National Parks, the Government of Andalusia, Andalusian Tourism, the Sierra Nevada Natural Area, the Tourist Board of the Granada Provincial Council, the Guadix City Council, the ADR Region. of Guadix and the business associations CETS Forum of Sierra Nevada and the Ecotourism Association in Spain.

The Ecotourism product in Spain is one of the national tourism product clubs promoted by SETUR, and an example of public-private cooperation. This product is one of the elements to promote in the Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2030, as it helps to comply with the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. In addition, it is aligned with the goals reflected in other state-level initiatives. such as the Strategy against Depopulation, the State Strategy for Green Infrastructures, or the Sectoral Plan for Nature Tourism and Biodiversity (RD 416/2014).