Ecotourism commitment
Sustainability, environmental conservation and local development
We are firmly committed to strengthening our link with the environment, while working on a gradual transition towards a more sustainable and nature-friendly tourism.
Our goal is that this activity contributes, as much as possible, to fix population in the rural areas surrounding the Park. Soy Ecoturista, the Ecotourism product club in Spain, is based on this same philosophy, with which we feel fully identified.
The council of Ponga was declared a Natural Park in 2003 and recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2018, distinctions that reflect the high level of protection and recognition of its natural and cultural values. These figures have the main objective of preserving nature and supporting local development.
In 2023, the Hospitality and Tourism Business Association of the Council of Ponga decided to initiate the process of joining the Ecotourism product club of Spain and its Soy Ecoturista brand. This initiative sought to strengthen the commitment to the protected area and, at the same time, work to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism. In addition, it was conceived as a strategy to contribute, as far as possible, to the establishment of a population in the rural areas surrounding the park.
The Ecotourism in Spain product club, under the Soy Ecoturista brand, is based on these principles, with which we feel fully aligned.
We are particularly interested in promoting tourism activities linked to the primary sector (livestock and agriculture), the secondary sector (processing of local products and handicrafts) and services (accommodation and catering). We consider that these strategies are fundamental to promote the fixation of population in rural areas, since they contribute to build business fabric and to dynamize the local economy.
It is essential to understand that the conservation of the natural environment depends, to a large extent, on preserving traditional human activities. An example of this are the paths that, maintained generation after generation by the inhabitants of Ponga, have today become hiking trails. Well-managed tourism must act as a vital complement that promotes the continuity of these activities, consolidates the local population and fosters a sustainable environment.
Thanks to the support of the Principality of Asturias, in 2024 the Ponga Natural Park, along with several tourism companies in the council, joined the Green Spain Ecotourism Corridor project. This has allowed our official adhesion to Soy Ecoturista, complying with the requirements of sustainability, conservation and local development.