THE 6 SESSIONS FULLY DEDICATED TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN CATALONIA WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN THE 26TH OF APRIL AND THE 19TH OF MAY UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF 8 TOURISM EXPERTS

Making the most of the training manual developed by RESTART MED! as the guiding tool, the project’s Spanish partners are organising 6 sessions addressed to both private and public stakeholders. The sessions are part of a training module called “Sustainability itinerary: a strategic cornerstone for tourism companies and administrations - where we are, where we are going and what can be done”.

Interested companies can choose to attend all 6 sessions or just those that are more appealing to them. That is, each session provides fundamental content for the next one and they all link to one another, but they also work by themselves. This was strategically planned because some companies already have the basic knowledge on sustainability tourism, while needing, for instance, a clearer idea about certifications.

As such, the overall planning is:

Session 1: Sustainable tourism: concepts, trends, environmental impact, and governance actions - April 26^th, 10h-14h, online

This first session will provide attendees with an idea of what are the current environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts of tourism and the related challenges. This will be then followed by an explanation of possible solutions and what private, public and civil society organisations can do. The final section will talk about governance as a framework and as a tool to also address the current challenges (i.e., Glasgow Declaration).

Session 2: Sustainable Tourism Certification, how to decide which is best for my company - April 28^th, 10h-13h, online

After the participants are aware of the current challenges and possible solutions (session 1), this session offers an overview of tourism certifications with a special focus on the international ones, such as the biosphere certification. The aim is ensuring that organisations know how to prove they are sustainable and how to reach the sustainability parameters.

Session 3: Marketing and communication applied to sustainable tourism - May the 3^rd, 09h-14h, online

Once participants know how the sustainability trends (session 1) and how to certify they are sustainable (session 2), it is time to explain how to promote sustainable tourism products. In this regard, session 3 provides tourism organisations or interested stakeholders with specific tools to promote their sustainable tourism products.

Session 4: The management of sustainable tourism in the territory: good practices and success stories - May the 5^th, 10h-14h, Study visit to Torres & Earth facilities, Transport from Barcelona and lunch included

By session 4 participants are aware of sustainability in tourism, how it can be addressed, justified, and promoted. As such, it is time to see some best cases. This session invites participants to the Torres Family venue just outside Barcelona where they will see in first hand their example of environmental sustainability. In addition, a special guest from the socio-cultural sustainability side, the creator of the INOUT Hostel side will also attend as a guest speaker.

Sessions 5 and 6: Ideation, creation and promotion of a producer or experience in sustainable tourism - May 12^th and 19^th, 15h-19h, face-to-face workshop in Barcelona

After three sessions on knowledge and one session on best practices, it is time for the participants to engage through creation. In this regard, the two final sessions will teach participants to create and promote a specific sustainable tourism product.

All these sessions will be hosted by very well-known and experienced trainers:

• Arnau Queralt Bassa: Director of the Advisory Council for the Sustainable Development of Catalonia (CADS) and President of the EEAC network.
• Maria José Pujol: President of Barcelona Sustainable Tourism, co-author of 6 books in the Icaria collection Social Initiatives on different application topics for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and creator of companies with social value including INOUT Hostel.
• Antoni Oliva Quesada: director of the 22 @ network for 13 years, and former representative of the Barcelona innovation systems hub for Si Barcelona.
• Dr. Natàlia Ferrer Roca: professor at the Faculty of Tourism of the University of Girona and independent consultant and researcher in a number of national and international projects.
• Ana Tarragona: environmental scientist with 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship in projects with a triple sustainable impact. Consultant in strategic planning for sustainability, communication, and sustainable tourism.
• Anna Lluís Gavaldà: Specialist in energy-waste-water synergies for sustainable and intelligent solutions. 25 years’ experience in environmental and public service management projects. Co-founder of SÍMBIOSY in 2014 (www.simbiosy.com) and directly responsible for business coaching.
• Marc Kolling: business development manager, and a commercial manager in tourism development and sales representative.
• Aleix Núñez Marcé: Climate Change Analyst at Familia Torres.

Registrations are now open, click here if you want to join us (sessions in Catalan).

Overall, the Spanish partners are very happy about how the schedule looks and believe that thanks to RESTART MED! ENI CBC MED they will be able to offer the Catalan Tourism sector the most updated and current quality content in the market.

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