The licensed tour guides association receives an award at the ITB fair in Berlin. Tourism professionals’ initiatives that foster a sustainable future.
In this post-COVID19 era, many voices in tourism have urged the sector to use this impasse to learn from the mistakes of the past. It has been stressed the importance of sustainability in order to bring more benefits to residents and better conditions for workers. One of these voices has been the Licensed Guides of Catalonia Association AGUICAT, recently awarded with the “TO DO Award” by the German Institute for Tourism and Development (Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung), presented during the ITB tourism fair in Berlin on March 9th.
The TO DO award, which has been presented since 2017, recognizes projects that involve the local population in the planning and implementation of tourism activities in order to create more sustainable economies. The award recognizes entities in the tourism sector that stand out in human rights protection and they have previously awarded collectives such as Las Kellys, which actively fight against inequalities in the tourism industry. The Institute for Tourism and Development claims that human rights must be high up on the agenda, not only when businesses are thriving, but on a permanent basis and as a crucial part of tourism activities.
The AGUICAT association, founded in 2016 and focused on responsible tourism, currently has about 400 members and it is an example of an initiative that contributes to the tourism field. Catalonia licensed guides that constitute the board of the association strive to improve the quality of service, the sustainability of the sector, and to ensure decent working conditions for the guides. They carry out their tasks on a pro bono basis, as it is a non-profit association whose main goal is to be a tool for fostering unity among guides, as well as to defend the professional role of qualified guides. Among the initiatives propelled by the association, there is the creation of a decalogue of good practices, the advocacy for a more sustainable tourism model in collaboration with government institutions, or promoting training actions and charitable activities.
In a tourism sector heavily affected by the pandemic and highly segmented (especially in the case of guides where most of them are freelancers) such initiatives are key to establishing networks among professionals and ensuring a more sustainable and resilient sector. According to the European Travel Commission, market trends indicate that travelers are more inclined towards sustainable practices that favor interaction with the local community and responsible consumption patterns. Consequently, it is necessary to offer options for the responsible traveler so that each element of the tourism experience value chain integrates ethical and sustainable values.
Associations such as AGUICAT are an excellent tool for the tourism sector in its journey towards the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. Moreover, these initiatives facilitate positioning in a market that is increasingly demanding in this regard. Similarly, sustainability certifications can be a path for destinations, companies and professionals interested in doing their bit to improve the value chain. From PAX# GENUINE TOURISM ADVISORS, in our role as consultants, we observe that more and more companies (including tour guides and freelance professionals), choose to distinguish themselves in terms of sustainability through projects such as the Compromís per la Sostenibilitat Barcelona-Biosphere.
Compromís per la Sostenibilitat Barcelona-Biosphere is a project carried out thanks to the collaboration between the Barcelona City Council, Turisme de Barcelona, the municipal Chamber of Commerce, the Barcelona Province and the Responsible Tourism Institute. At PAX#, we have the role of advisors, accompanying professionals in a process that allows them to evaluate their activity in terms of sustainability, identify areas for improvement and develop an action plan in order to address these improvements. After obtaining the seal, freelance professionals such as guides can find it easier to become part of a network of sustainable companies, promote themselves, receive training and have access to tools to improve sustainability.
In short, more and more professionals and initiatives are joining the path towards sustainability, providing the necessary change in the sector to overcome the challenges and forge the future of tourism in terms of sustainability.
