Irene Martin/Noemi Romero
Madrid (EFE).- Sustainable fuels for aviation, mobility solutions for electric cars, hotels of the future that combine technology and the environment or destinations in which the commitment to biodiversity prevails are some of the environmental proposals presented in the 43rd edition the International Tourism Fair (Fitur).
Companies and administrations these days display their offer in this sense, as in the case of “Galicia Sustainable Destination”, an alliance of companies in coordination with the Xunta that integrates the green tourist offer in the Galician region, or “Navarra recharges you”, an electric vehicle charging network together with bicycle repair facilities in the foral community, which has also released its documentary series “La otra huella” to show “another way of doing tourism”.
Another example is that of Cantabria, which presents 14 Tourism Sustainability Plans focused on energy efficiency, digitization, connectivity and competitiveness, with the participation of 60 municipalities and more than 500 planned actions, or that of the Balearic Islands where Ibiza puts The “Viva la Posidonia” ecotourism project is underway to turn this important aquatic plant into an awareness-raising tourist asset.
Something more than rural houses
Green destinations are no longer found only in rural houses and more and more hotel chains or independent establishments apply environmental measures including, for example, organic and local food, as in the initiative of the Amalurra EcoHotel & Retreat Center in the Enkarterri region ( Vizcaya) that is committed to convergence with Nature.
One of the biggest curiosities of the fair is a representation of the hotel of the future with the name of “Nautilus”, the famous submersible from Jules Verne’s novel “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, where technology is combined with the environment, including mirrors. that become digital screens, furniture made with recycled materials, virtual reality glasses or 3D printers.
Fitur also hosts a more technology-oriented forum, Fiturtechy, which includes conferences where tourism sustainability gains a presence, such as the debate on “ESG, sustainability and social impact in tourism: the vision of senior management and the Board of Directors”, incorporating the point of view of the financial, hotel, transportation and wine sectors.
It is about “being pioneering companies in a more responsible tourism model”, pointed out the speaker and Vice President of Sustainability of Meliá International Hotels, Lourdes Ripoll, who underlined the need for a “commitment from everyone, including the client”.
Transport with less CO2 emissions
In this context of commitment, the president of the National Business Federation for car rental Feneval, José Luis Barahona, has also agreed, who has asked the Administration to set the objectives and plan “what is necessary so that a service can be provided” above all oriented towards electric vehicles.
“Sustainability is going to be a critical factor”, defended the president of the Cajamar Foundation, Roberto García Torrente, and this “does not only include an environmental issue, but also an economic and social one”.
And sustainability also extends to means of transport, also in aviation, as explained to EFE by the director of this department at Vueling, Franc Sanmartí, who estimates the reduction of CO2 emissions by 80% from “sustainable fuels which are already available today.
These fuels are manufactured “from urban resources and of organic origin” but in the future others “made of synthetic material made by mixing CO2 from the air with green hydrogen” will also be used, an option “still under development but that will achieve savings of 100% emissions”.
