Barcelona, November 27, 2024, Poblenou Manuel Arranz library – Barcelona was the scene of a deep reflection on the future of tourism in the framework of the day “Prefigure the Future of Sustainable Tourism”, organized by Aethnic, association of sustainable tourism with the support of Barcelona City Council and Barcelona Activa. Experts from the administration, the Social and Solidarity Economy and the gender perspective gathered to address the challenges and opportunities of a key sector in socio-ecological transition and social justice.
The Councilor of the District of Sant Martí, Silvia Lopez, inaugurated the event highlighting the economic role of tourism, which represents a 14% of GDP and 15% of employment in the city of Barcelona. López emphasized the importance of transforming the tourism model so that it is balanced and sustainable: “Tourism must be a driver of social responsibility, contributing to improving coexistence and the quality of life of both residents and visitors.” Among the measures promoted by the City Council, he mentioned the regulation of tourist rentals, the management of saturated spaces and the use of the tourist tax.
Between elitization and popular tourism: contested alternatives
Ernest Cañada, coordinator of Alba Sud, highlighted the challenges of the current tourism growth model, emphasizing the need to bet on more inclusive alternatives such as popular tourism. According to Cañada, the growing discomfort in territories overexploited for tourism reflects the displacement of citizens and the loss of identity of the spaces they inhabit.
Cañada proposed three possible scenarios for the future: a model of intensive accumulation that prioritizes tourism growth without limits, the elitization of tourism aimed at exclusive markets with serious consequences of inequality and a commitment to popular tourism, focused on social needs and in respect of ecological limits. He concluded: “Faced with the commitment to a tourism at the service of the elites, we claim popular tourism that puts people at the center, respecting ecological limits and combating social inequalities. It is time to prioritize a democratic and accessible model, which responds to the needs of the majority and not to the interests of a privileged minority.”
The challenges of public administration: managing tourism with balance and sustainability
The first round table brought together key representatives of the public administration to discuss tourism management. Soledad Bravo, Tourism Manager of the Diputació de Barcelona, emphasized that “tourism is not only an economic engine, but also a tool for social transformation that forces us to adopt public policies committed to sustainability, citizen coexistence and dignity employment in the sector.”
Along these lines, Xavier Font, Deputy Director General of Territorial Tourism Development of the Generalitat of Catalonia, stressed the need for a more balanced model: “We are working to define the acceptable limits of tourism, delocalize the activity and put the well-being of residents at the center of all actions.” Finally, José Mansilla, PhD in Social Anthropology, researcher and member of the Urban Conflict Anthropology Observatory, pointed out that “the government has the legislative tools to set the direction of tourism, but it must integrate social demands to build fairer and more sustainable models.”
Tourism as a tool for transformation: linking it to the Social and Solidarity Economy
The second round table focused on the role of the Social and Solidarity Economy as a driver of change. Inmaculada Díaz, teacher and researcher at the TUDISTAR Research Group, emphasized the need for projects with a positive social return: “Tourist projects must generate social and environmental benefits beyond economic ones, with a systemic vision that values both the benefits and the impacts generated. It is necessary to establish a public policy that prioritizes local tourism, putting this perspective ahead of the traditional capitalist model.”
For her part, Carla Izcara, technician in research and communication at Alba Sud, emphasized that, in strongly touristic territories, it is essential to include tourism in the debate on the ecosocial transition: “The hegemonic system of tourism must be transformed to ensure that it ceases to be a mechanism of inertia towards inequality and becomes an opportunity for sustainable and solidarity-based development.”
In this line, Xavi Palos, Technical Secretary of the Solidarity Economy Network (XES), remarked that “It is necessary to integrate concepts such as degrowth and sustainable mobility into the public debate, opting for indicators that reflect social and environmental values.” And he added: “From the perspective of the social balance sheet, not only socio-business viability must be assessed , but also gender conditions and inclusivity and mobility to build a fairer tourism model”. He also defended the creation of a tourist ecosystem based on proximity tourism and the km0, which allows services to be pooled and a shared narrative is established, oriented to the real needs of the territory and its inhabitants.
Xavi Rubio, Head of the Social and Solidarity Economy Department and Directorate of Social and Solidarity Economy Services and Sustainable Food at Barcelona City Council, stated that “The Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS) must be present where it is most needed, because we are in a moment of climate emergency that demands immediate action. We must lead a just eco-societal transition that puts people, the territory and the environment at the center. For this reason, we propose three major objectives: first, to strengthen the resilience of ESS companies, helping them to grow, retain talent and digitize; second, guarantee that everyone has access to the ESS, without exclusions; and third, to make ESS a transversal reference, demonstrating that in sectors such as tourism, responsible practices can be adopted thanks to tools such as ethical financing.”
Inclusion and the gender perspective in tourism
The day concluded with a table dedicated to the gender perspective and LGBTIQ+ diversity in tourism. The Dr. Daniela Freund, professor and researcher at IQS Barcelona – URL, stated that “you cannot make a paradigm shift without putting people and the planet at the center. We need a transformative leadership, inspired by the feminist ethics of care, that moves away from competitiveness.”
Mercè Otero, professor and teacher of Latin, Creu Sant Jordi 2019 and feminist activist, defended that “Barcelona needs spaces that recognize the history of the LGBTI community, an aspect still pending in the city.” With this perspective, Jordi Samsó, president of Casal Lambda, emphasized that “Barcelona has safe spaces for the LGBTI community, where human rights are defended and diversity is made visible, especially for those people who come from where their identity is persecuted.”
Finally, Nur Abellan, teacher at CETT-UB and researcher at the TURCiT research group, concluded: “It is essential to guarantee inclusive and safe spaces in tourism to encourage respectful coexistence and celebrate diversity, ensuring that everyone can enjoy experiences tourism without discrimination or barriers.”
A more sustainable and inclusive tourism future
The day highlighted the immediate need to transform tourism into a more sustainable, inclusive and equitable activity. The experts agreed on the importance of promoting transformative leadership and policies that prioritize the well-being of people, the protection of the territory and the care of the environment above economic interests. With this event, Aethnic reaffirms its commitment to a responsible tourism model that guarantees a more balanced and sustainable future for the city and the planet.
Consult the Photo Gallery of the day.
About Aethnic
Since 2006, Aethnic works to promote Responsible and Sustainable Tourism (TRS), a model that focuses on respect for the territory, the environment and local cultures, while boosting the local economy and the well-being of communities. The organization collaborates with local actors to ensure that the TRS has a minimal ecological impact, while generating significant benefits for the communities and economies of the territories where it operates. With an extensive track record in advising and managing TRS projects on both a local and international scale, Aethnic is consolidating itself as a reference in facing the emerging challenges of the socio-ecological transition.
