Contact - Territorial Quality - European Charter of Sustainable Tourism

The European Charter of Sustainable Tourism incorporates the European and worldwide priorities stated in the recommendations of Agenda 21, adopted during the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and by the 5th programme of community actions for sustainable development.

It was developed by a group from the tourism industries of European representatives of protected areas and their collaborators. It is the continuation of a first initiative by the Europarc Federation that started in 1991 and culminated in the publication of the report Loving them to death (1)

It is included among the priorities of the "Parks for life" action programme of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (UICN).

It also fulfils the principles declared by the worldwide Charter of sustainable tourism developed in Lanzarote in 1995.

CETS favours the definite application of the concept of sustainable development. That's to say, "a development that satisfies the necessities of today's generations without putting at risk the satisfaction of the needs of future generations. " (2).

This development implies the preservation of resources for future generations, as well as development that is economically viable and socially balanced.

La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park gained CETS for the first time in 2001, together with other European natural parks. From then, as long as the tourist phenomenon continues, CETS applies to all the Garrotxa and not just within the administrative limits of the natural park.

Local parties in the Garrotxa that are involved in some way in the tourism industry, including Tourism Garrotxa, draw up a common strategic plan for the future every five years and put into practice its proposals.