Ecotourist Commitment
Sierras Subbeticas Natural Park and UNESCO World Geopark
The power of networking
The Natural Park of the Sierras Subbéticas obtained the declaration of protected natural area on July 28, 1989, is part of the Natura 2000 Network, was declared a UNESCO World Geopark in 2015. Since 2008 it has been accredited with the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, and the Comarca is a destination of the Ecotourism in Spain product club (Soy Ecoturista) since 2021.
The Natural Park of the Sierras Subbéticas is adhered to the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS) of the EUROPARC Federation since 2008, and thanks to this distinction the Comarca de la Subbética Codobesa is a destination adhered to the Ecotourism product club in Spain (Soy Ecoturista) since 2021, with the firm intention of creating authentic ecotourism products that contribute to the protection of our natural and cultural heritage of the territory.
The CETS is a work, planning and commitment tool that sets the principles to be applied in the tourism development of destinations with protected areas. To maintain this accreditation we execute an action plan agreed and coordinated with all public and private agents of the territory called SECTORAL-CONSULTATIVE TOURISM COUNCIL OF THE MANCOMUNITY OF MUNICIPALITIES OF THE SUBBÉTICA that meets at least twice a year and in which the main tourist actors: Mancomunidad de la Subbética, Rural Development Group, the Natural Park of the Sierras Subbéticas, Protected Designations of Origin and Associations of Tourism Entrepreneurs have a place in the decision-making process of sustainable tourism development of the region as a whole.
Also indicate that the Mancomunidad de la Subbética itself has a Sustainable Tourism Plan in Destination (from now on PSTD) of the 2021 call financed with NEXT GENERATION funds called Sustainable Tourism Development Plan in the region of Subbética Cordobesa for an amount of € 2,919,000. This plan includes several actions for the improvement of the ecotourism product agreed with the Ecotourism Association in Spain, such as the organization of the II Ecotourism Congress of the Subbética region held in February 2024, the organization of future awareness-raising workshops and the organization of the first Ecotourism Congress of the Subbética region held in February 2024.The organization of future awareness conferences aimed at the private sector, the development of tourism content and improvement of tourism experiences and communication campaign in social networks and other channels.
On the other hand, equally important is our commitment to biodiversity conservation through multiple actions included in the PSTD, such as the improvement of amphibian habitats, reforestation in areas of high ecological value, the cleaning, maintenance and maintenance of the area's natural habitats and the conservation of its biodiversity.These actions are also included in the CETS Action Plan, which is fully aligned with our objectives.
Our involvement and commitment is total in the creation of new tourism products that value the natural resources and ensure the conservation of the territory both in flora and fauna, proof of this is also the creation of the product of olive oil tourism inventorying and closing agreements with farmers to maintain the olive groves of high mountain centenarians.
Another important tool to achieve our goals, was the incorporation to the Ecotourism product club in March 2021, from there we are working on our most sustainable companies to adhere to the CETS and the Ecotourism product club in Spain (with its brand Soy Ecoturista).
Finally, we have other quality labels that provide an added bonus to our companies such as the Natural Park of Andalusia Brand, to which 37 handicraft products, 5 natural products and 37 nature tourism services are adhered, or the Integral System of Tourism Quality, a label managed by the Junta de Andalucía and the Central Government that try to streamline the procedures in the daily management of the company.