DESTINATION SPAIN SUPPORTS GLOBAL ACTION FOR THE SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) 

SDGs are a global UN initiative approved in 2015, supported by 193 countries, and aimed to attain a sustainable development, planet wide, by 2030. It consists in 17 Goals, which become a powerful tool for companies and enterprises, to guide their action to eliminate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure a sustainable prosperity for all citizens.

Destination Spain supports SDGs initiative, as Tourism is one of the human activities that has a very strong impact on the environment and with heavy influence in local communities and their development. Tourism companies, tourism suppliers and travelers are key actors to ensure that the SDGs progress adequately to 2030 objectives.

Destination Spain wants to be an active player in attaining SDGs, which will ensure the sustainability of our planet, positive development of local communities and a clear benefit for traveler, who will be able to enjoy a well preserved environment, meet and enrich with local communities (with different cultures, values and heritage), and live more genuine experiences that they will take back home. Destination Spain is participating in these goals through the company team, through suppliers in our value chain, and through clients and travelers, who help disseminate and share these objectives beyond our tourism community.

An invitation to action From Destination Spain, we build all our products and services with the SDGs in mind, and we invite you to also contribute to the SDGs through little and easy actions along your itinerary, which become incredibly powerful means when practiced by most of us:

Respect the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity.

• Be respectful with the local population. Do not take pictures of locals before asking for permission.
• No tips to children and kids.
• Dress properly when visiting special, revered sites.

Locals are happy to share and show their work, traditions and values with you.

• Dare to ask and interact with locals. Ask your guide if any doubt or for assistance with language issues.
• If interested in purchasing goods or souvenirs, prioritize local markets and artisan works.
• Your interest, your respect, your questions, the dialogue with you help enrich their work and, hopefully, will enrich your trip as well.

Minimize waste generation. Be efficient in the use of natural resources and energy. The world is our only home, and has no replacement.

• Especially in Spain and Portugal, water and energy are resources to be preserved, as they have a strong impact on the environment. Make and efficient use of them, and ask your suppliers (hotel, drivers, guides) to act accordingly.
• Use environmentally friendly soaps.
• Turn off the tap while we brush our teeth.
• Tap water is potable, you can drink it!
• Keep the environment clean.

Recycle as much as possible. Make use of reusable products, and benefit from the multiple sites and means to recycle plastics, paper, glass, batteries and other materials.

• Plastic water bottles have a great impact on the environment. Carry them back for recycling when at the hotel.
• Hire accommodations that favor good environmental practices.

Be respectful with the natural environments you go through.

• Avoid picking animal, vegetal, or geologic samples as a souvenir.
• Stand and walk through the marked path ways.
• Do not tease wildlife animals.
• Keep the environment clean.

Choose efficient transportation means and public if available, for an efficient use of resources.

• Plan your visit trough an optimized itinerary (ask for support to DS when necessary).
• Maximize the use of train vs. planes.
• Give preference to public transportation and use/rent efficient vehicles.

Benefits for travelers, local communities and Tourism in general:

Your little actions towards SDGs will benefit everyone, and yourself:

• Travelers will find clean, well preserved, sustainable environment, wherever they travel to.
• Travelers will meet local communities, which are sustainable and well developed within their culture values and heritage, and will be able to live genuine experiences with them, for the benefit of themselves and contributing to their sustainability.
• With their respectful interaction with local communities, Travelers will contribute to their development, sustainability and preservation of culture/values/heritages for generations to come.
• Travel will become not only a “go and see” experience, but a true exchange of experiences between locals and visitors, for the mutual enrichment.

UN Sustainable Development Goals