The Cabildo of Lanzarote, through SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, and in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, promotes citizen and tourism sector participation in the drafting process of the World Charter for Sustainable Tourism +30, which will be officially presented on November 28 in Jameos del Agua.
Currently, a survey aimed at citizens and local communities is open on the Government of the Canary Islands' citizen participation portal, with the aim of gathering their vision on the future of sustainable tourism.
In April 1995, Lanzarote became a global benchmark for sustainable tourism with the signing of the First World Charter for Sustainable Tourism. Under the auspices of UNESCO and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and with key figures such as César Manrique, Cipriano Marín and Tomás de Azcárate, the island promoted a model that combined environmental conservation, cultural respect and fair economic development.
“Thirty years later”, says the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and head of SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, “in a global context of climatic and social challenges, Lanzarote is once again a meeting point to update and strengthen that alliance, reaffirming its vocation as an international laboratory for tourism sustainability”.
At the same time, a consultation process has been enabled for public and private entities linked to tourism activity and sustainability. Through a newsletter, a draft of the Charter has been shared with partners, sponsors, airlines, tour operators, OETs and other agents, inviting them to carry out a critical and collaborative reading. Their contributions will be fundamental for this document to become a useful, transformative tool with a true vocation for the future.
Once the consultation processes are finished, on October 1, all the proposals received will be analyzed. With them, the final version of the World Charter for Sustainable Tourism +30 will be prepared, which will be presented at the planned institutional event, as mentioned, on November 28 in Jameos del Agua.