To have, by 2023, 75% of enterprises without single-use plastics and with energy and water efficiency systems. These are two of the main measures of the “Tourism + Sustainable 20-23 Plan”, presented this Monday, June 14, at Viveiros Monterosa, in Olhão, in a session in which Rita Marques defended that, «to have a better planet, we have to have better tourism».
In total, there are 119 actions that make up this Plan, promoted by Turismo de Portugal, covering «four strategic axes: structuring an increasingly sustainable offer, qualifying the sector's agents, promoting Portugal as a sustainable destination and monitoring the sector's performance for sustainability'.
From the creation of new courses, in the Hotel and Tourism Schools, dedicated to this issue of sustainability, through the publication of best practices guides and also a tool called “T+”, which will help to develop sustainability plans , this Plan wants to help place Portugal at the top of sustainable tourism.
Another of the goals to be achieved is to reach 25.000 adherents to the Clean & Safe seal and 30 trained professionals, as well as another 50 professionals trained in the areas of sustainability.
Launched in October last year, the plan was under public consultation, having received more than 100 contributions.
For Rita Marques, Secretary of State for Tourism, “sustainability is a priority in many sectors and tourism must set an example”.
"We have been doing it in several areas and, in order to have a better planet, we must have better tourism", he stressed, in statements to journalists.
In the opinion of the government official, the Covid-19 pandemic came, «somehow, to reinforce the need to go deeper, with concrete measures and measurable objectives, so that in three years' time we can take stock and conclude that Portugal is at the forefront, being one of the most sustainable destinations in the world».
On this path, João Fernandes, president of the Algarve Tourism Region (RTA), confessed that he is "confident that this plan will not be just a list of intentions" because the bet "on sustainability meets the objectives of the World Tourism Organization" .
Currently, according to the official, the Algarve is already “above the national average” in the number of tourist developments with water and energy efficiency systems.
For the rest, the Secretary of State for Tourism even referred to the symbolic choice of the Algarve to present this initiative.
«We would have very good regions to present this plan, but we are here in the Algarve, a destination of excellence. It is important to show that tourism can still be more and better in the Algarve», he concluded.
This plan, which has a partnership with the Tourism Regions, as well as business associations, can be consulted in full here
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