It once again distinguishes Torroella and L’Estartit as one of the 100 most sustainable destinations in the world.
25.10.19
For the third year, Torroella de Montgrí-l’Estartit-Illes Medes has been chosen as one of the 100 most sustainable destinations in the world, according to the ranking compiled by the recognized international association Green Destinations. This year, however, the municipality has gone a step further in its list as it has been awarded the Gold Award. It represents a higher level because it is obtained after a rigorous evaluation and audit process, in which a total of 114 indicators related to sustainability are analyzed. In order to be able to access it, it must have been at least one year in the Top 100 ranking, a previous step in which 30 basic indicators of sustainability must be met.
According to the evaluation committee, Torroella de Montgrí-l’Estartit, through the council’s Tourism Destination area, has applied the criteria and indicators established in an excellent way, in all areas of destination management as They are conservation of nature and heritage, waste management, energy and climate. This award is also a recognition of the destination’s efforts to maintain its tourist appeal in the future. Not only visible aspects such as natural heritage but also intangible aspects such as policies and management plans that include principles of sustainable development have been taken into account.
With the Top 100 Awards, Green Destinations seeks to distinguish the work that destinations are doing in favor of sustainability and to promote good practice cases. Around 100 international experts take part in the evaluation and selection of the awardees. In Spain this year, 7 destinations were distinguished among the 100 most sustainable in the world. The award was collected by the municipal tourism adviser, Josep Capellà, on October 10, during the Global Green Destinations Days, which was held on the island of Mali Lošinj (Croatia).
This recognition for Torroella de Montgrí and L’Estartit is added to the Global Low-Carbon Ecological Scenic Spot award, given last September by the Global Forum on Human Settelments (GFHS), a UN-linked body. In this case, the start-up was distinguished by a sustainable and resilient model of development, and having integrated ecotourism into its planning. The implementation of the Life Pletera project played a key role.
Prioritat municipal
La regidora de Destinació Turística, Dúnia Oliveras, assegura que estar a la llista de les cent destinacions més sostenibles del món és molt important en termes de credibilitat de les actuacions que s’estan portant a terme a nivell local. Assegura, a més, que contribueix a la projecció internacional de la destinació i esperona a continuar sumant esforços des de l’àmbit públic i privat per avançar en polítiques de sostenibilitat. En aquest sentit, recorda que la sostenibilitat s’ha integrat com una prioritat en la gestió municipal, atesa la singularitat i l’alt valor mediambiental del territori, on hi conflueixen una gran diversitat d’espais i hàbitats, protagonitzats pel massís del Montgrí, les illes Medes, els aiguamolls del Baix Ter i la fèrtil plana agrícola. Actualment, el 67 % del terme es troba protegit dins dels Parc Natural i només un 10 % és sòl urbà.
Municipal priority
The Councilor for Tourism Destination, Dúnia Oliveras, says that being on the list of the hundred most sustainable destinations in the world is very important in terms of the credibility of the actions being carried out locally. It also assists in contributing to the international projection of the destination and hopes to continue adding public and private efforts to advance sustainability policies. In this sense, he recalls that sustainability has been integrated as a priority in municipal management, due to the uniqueness and the high environmental value of the territory, where a great diversity of spaces and habitats come together, starring the Montgrí massif, the Medes Islands, the Baix Ter wetlands and the fertile agricultural plain. Currently, 67% of the term is protected within the Natural Park and only 10% is urban land.