Ecotourism Commitment of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park
Harmony between nature, tradition and sustainability
A firm commitment to sustainability
In the Natural Park Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas we have been working on sustainability since 2004 when it was accredited with the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS) by the EUROPARC Federation.
This is a European accreditation for protected natural areas that have demonstrated their practical commitment to sustainable tourism by working as a team with other stakeholders in the territory, developing and implementing a participatory tourism strategy and action plan applying sustainability criteria and adapted to the particularities of the territory, in order to improve the environmental, social and economic viability of tourism. The certification is renewed every 5 years, for which it is necessary to demonstrate that the action plan has been implemented and a new one has been prepared with the same requirements for the next five years.
Numerous tourism businesses that offer services in the natural park have also adhered to this certification, thus guaranteeing environmental, social and economic benefits for the entire territory. It also entails advantages for the company itself, ranging from cost savings to the improvement of the company's image with a distinction that, in an increasingly competitive tourism market, is only within the reach of companies that are firmly committed to sustainability, environmental conservation and local development, priority objectives of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism.
Thanks to this European distinction, the destination and its accredited companies joined Soy Ecoturista in 2018, thus demonstrating its commitment to boosting and promoting ecotourism in the territory, a way of doing and enjoying tourism that contributes to conserving the Natural Park's valuable natural and cultural heritage while generating positive socioeconomic impacts for the people who live there.
The entity that coordinates and promotes the participation of the destination and its companies in Soy Ecoturista is the Association of Sustainable Tourism of the Natural Park Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas, of which the local entities and entrepreneurs most committed to sustainable tourism are part.