Visit València
Visit Valencia is a non-profit Foundation with the participation of the Valencia City Council (Spain) in association with the majority of the local tourism industry. Its goal is the strategic management and promotion of the city of Valencia as a tourist destination, with a professional focus which combines public and private interest.
Global Tourism Plastics Initiative Signatory
Since its creation in 1991, the Foundation has contributed to the evolution of tourism in the city, favouring employment, tourism development and increase in its economic impact; factors which have directly influenced the wellbeing of the local community.
They conducted a diagnosis of the economic, social and environmental sustainability of tourism activity according to the UN SDGs, with a special focus on the climate change mitigation. Thus, they became the first city in the world to evaluate the carbon footprint generated in order to become an emission-neutral tourist destination by 2025. As a result, they designed a sustainability dashboard, with 151 criteria and indicators unifying those of the European Commission, the UNE standard, the Valencia Smart destination model, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Based in these indicators, the local stakeholders will be able to draw strategic priorities and actions, aligned with the city’s goals. The development of this new framework will highlight Valencia’s capacity to respond to the needs of a new model that is more inclusive and integrated, more ethical and collaborative, more visitor-friendly and fair, but above all, responsible.
Role in programme(s):
Commitments:
In the framework of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, Visit Valencia commits to:
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Encouraging their affiliated organizations and businesses or partners to join the Global Tourism Plastics initiative by notably continuing implementing the sustainable strategy with their 300 members (industry, research, academia, administration).
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Providing to the local tourist industry a sustainable practices toolkit, where the GTPI recommendations will be presented and disseminated and encouraging those who wish to join their sustainable action plan to include the GTPI’s recommendations and the plastics policy.
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Communicating successes to affiliated organisations and business, partners, travelers and key local stakeholders via their external and internal communications plan to encourage their members to achieve higher sustainable standards.
