FiturNext, the FITUR Observatory dedicated to promoting good tourism practices that value sustainability in partnership with CAF - Development Bank of Latin America -, puts an end to the fourth edition after an agenda of talks, round tables and presentations with authorities public, initiatives specialized in regenerative tourism and expert speakers on the subject. More than 40 relevant voices from the sector have shared reflections on how to promote regeneration in the tourism sector with a common point of view: sustainability impacts the economic, social and cultural development of a destination.
Regenerative tourism on the political agenda
FiturNext 2023 has collected numerous testimonials throughout the four-day program. Among them, the participation of public authorities in the tourism sector that have highlighted sustainability has stood out. In particular, the round table with Niels Olsen, Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, Arturo Bravo, Vice Minister of Tourism of Colombia, Elena Pita, Director of the Biodiversity Foundation, and Alicia Montalvo, Manager of Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity of CAF, who focused on the importance of regenerative tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean, since investing in environmental resources has a direct impact on the development of a tourist destination. All this also leads to the improvement of heritage and biodiversity. In addition Montalvo,
It is also worth mentioning the debate on regenerative public policies between Marta Domènech, General Director of Tourism of Catalonia, and Isabel Vidal Tomás, General Director of Tourism of the Balearic Islands. In it, the speakers pointed out that making responsible and environmentally conscious tourism visible on political agendas should be essential for its implementation in a destination.
Initiatives with values and a workshop to co-create a sustainable destination: press time
Likewise, FiturNext had the participation of the finalist and winning initiatives of this year and previous editions in a series of inspiring talks. Among them stands out the round table to promote positive tourism with representatives of the Starlight Foundation, Sponsor an Olive Tree, Feel the Alto Tajo and the World Tourism Organization. The finalist initiatives of this edition, 5th SARoCO, Playa Viva and Procoreef, also met in a dialogue to analyze the first steps, the roadmap, to implement regenerative tourism in a destination.
The third day highlighted the 2022 Challenge dedicated to accessibility, a permanent challenge in the sector. Predif presented the manual to develop an inclusive trip dedicated to professionals and companies in the industry.
Lastly, the Observatory closed the fourth edition on Saturday with a workshop with tourism students from different universities in the country whose objective was to explore how to co-create a destination so that it is sustainable, regenerative and improves the quality of life of local communities.
About CAF
CAF -development bank of Latin America- has the mission of promoting sustainable development and regional integration, through the financing of projects in the public and private sectors, the provision of technical cooperation and other specialized services. Established in 1970 and currently made up of 21 countries -19 from Latin America and the Caribbean, along with Spain and Portugal- and 13 private banks, it is one of the main sources of multilateral financing and an important generator of knowledge for the region.