When we talk about ecotourism, we are referring to a term that affects all facets of life. And travel is one of them. A new way of discovering places and cultures so that it causes the least possible impact on the environment and societies.
In addition and according to the definition of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), ecotourism also includes educational aspects and interpretation of nature and is carried out by specialized tour operators. These trips are usually aimed at small groups and use service providers “who are usually small, locally owned companies”.
With these actions, ecotourism contributes to the maintenance of natural areas as it provides economic benefits “for the host communities and the organizations that manage the rural areas,” emphasizes this organization.
The ultimate goal of ecotourism is to have a negative impact or, in other words, not to cause any damage to the destination visited.
In 2022 the five most sustainable countries were (according to a report by the E&S Friendly Board of Directors):
France – Switzerland- Spain-Japan- Italy
What makes Spain to be in the third position?
There are several characteristics of this country that make it worthy of the position. Among them is the fact that a large part of the energy that reaches the cities is renewable and that it has a multitude of natural resources that facilitate the production of hydraulic, solar and wind energy. In addition, policies for the conservation of natural areas are being implemented and the welfare of native species is being facilitated.
Currently, the Government has outlined a plan that will run until 2030 and which arose from an agreement drawn up in 2015 in which 193 countries committed to ensure the prosperity of people and the planet by setting 17 goals and 169 different targets.
An important part of the tourism sector are hotels and as such this industry must put the focus on progressively improving in these aspects.
BlueBay Hotels’ measures
At BlueBay Hotels we are aware of the importance of moving towards a more sustainable tourism and we are implementing a series of measures to this end.
An example is the Bellevue Club resort, a tourist complex with eleven independent buildings, which is one of the largest in Europe.
The resort is located in an area of great environmental value and is developing a transition plan that includes LED lighting in all areas, the installation of solar panels, aerothermal mechanisms (an efficient air conditioning system that obtains thermal energy from ambient air), gray water treatment and its reuse in irrigation and toilets, installation of water saving devices (vaporizers…) and electric chargers for vehicles.
