Spain hopes its first Sustainability Day will bring together the UK industry and suppliers to tackle the issue of how to make a mass market destination greener.
The event, held at The Conduit in London’s Covent Garden on Wednesday 26 April, will be an afternoon of discussions followed by an evening cocktail reception and media awards.
Among the topics will be the role of destinations in climate action planning and the future of sustainable transport. The day will also examine how destinations can be made better for the local population.
Manuel Butler, UK director of the Spanish Tourist Office, said: “We are trying to bring the knowledge and experience of Spain together to see how mass tourism can be sustainable. We will bring in tour operators and destinations to draw up a roadmap on these key issues.”
Butler said the social aspect of sustainability would be explored. “Mass tourism should be considering the locals; tourism has to be seen as a source of prosperity, not a negative impact.”
He added: “Tour operators here are truly engaged with sustainability, it is never too late.”
The afternoon conference is sponsored by Turismo Lanzarote and is free to attend.