The activity took place on January 8 on Santa Cruz Island, as part of the actions implemented by the Ministry of Tourism to position the country as a world leader in sustainable and intelligent tourism.
During the event, Mateo Estrella, Minister of Tourism, announced that this State portfolio and the Governing Council of the Special Regime of Galapagos became Institutional Members of the Ibero-American Network of Smart Tourist Destinations (DTI); as well as the adhesion of the Municipal GADs of Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal and Isabela as Observer Members.
“These advances demonstrate the leadership and vision of the local authorities of the Galapagos, who have understood that sustainability and technology are inseparable allies in protecting and projecting this unique paradise to the world,” said Minister Estrella when presenting the memberships of the Ibero-American DTI Network.
The event featured a series of conferences on the Smart Tourism Destinations model, the importance of this approach in modern tourism, opportunities for technological development and innovative practices implemented in Galapagos for the conservation of the destination, emphasizing that Smart Tourism Destinations also seek to facilitate the interaction and integration of visitors to increase the quality of their experience and improve the quality of life of the hosts.
The DTI project, promoted by the Ministry of Tourism, has the advice of the State Trading Company for the Management of Innovation and Tourism Technologies, SAMP (SEGITTUR) of Spain; the Ibero-American Network of Smart Tourist Destinations and the Inter-American Development Bank through its Future Tourism program. Currently, Quito and Cuenca are also working on the implementation of the DTI model, marking a fundamental step towards the development of sustainable tourism in Ecuador.
Source: Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador.