FITURGREEN 2015 to promote implementation of sustainable solutions and reveal secrets of most successful destinations

At its sixth staging, the most important sustainable tourism Forum in Spain will a align current trends with consumer expectations and demands

FITUR 2015, the International Tourism Trade Show organised by IFEMA, to be held from 28 January to 1 February at FERIA DE MADRID, will be promoting, within the context of FITURGREEN, the competitiveness of the tourism sector, in terms of both companies and destinations, through the convergence of the most successful trends as regards innovation and sustainability with current consumer expectations and demands.

FITURGREEN 2015, the 6th Sustainability and Tourism Forum, jointly organised by the ITH (Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero) and the UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) together with FITUR, will be presenting over the three days of the event successful examples of initiatives and projects applied within the sector, along with the most notable practical experiences at the national and international levels. There will also be panel debates, exhibitions and workshops focused on informing a professional audience about the most innovative solutions and emerging trends in the sector.

At this edition, a presentation will be given on the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP), which was established by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held in June 2012. The United Nations General Assembly has reaffirmed that the promotion of sustainable consumption and production patterns is among the general objectives and essential requirements for sustainable development and that fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development. In this regard, particular emphasis will be given to the promotion of the recently established 10YFP Programme on Sustainable Tourism led by the UNWTO.

In the words of the Managing Director of the ITH, Álvaro Carrillo de Albornoz, “the practical workshops and addresses will analyse successful case studies, tools and alternative management systems in three key areas: planning, management and promotion of tourism destinations; sustainable accommodation models; and technology and innovation linked to sustainability”.

A separate mention should be made of the “Red fITH” network initiative recently set up by the ITH, based on the principle of fostering the implementation of sustainable tourism programmes, plans and policies throughout the sector, with the support of instruments for financing, investment and economic analysis in accordance with the strategic specificities and priorities of the tourism business in Spain. Regarding this aspect, the Managing Director of the ITH asserts that Red fITH “will allow attendees to take in and explore the possibilities offered by a range of financial options to fund equipment, refurbishment works and enhancements contributing to improve sustainability”.

Sustainability, a priority of the tourism sector

FITURGREEN 2015 will be exploring in greater depth three key areas for efficiency and energy savings in hotel management: the planning, management and promotion of tourism destinations; sustainable accommodation models; and technology and innovation linked to sustainability. This will involve a range of addresses including “Sustainable tourist destination: The key to success?”, “Sustainable accommodation: The restructuring of the hotel sector” and “Technology and innovation: The rule of three”, as well as the workshop “Red fITH Network, financing technology in hotels”: “The adaptation of financing systems and public grants to the reality of Spanish tourism companies. A step towards sustainability”.

Mr Carrillo de Albornoz indicates that “ITH is organising this sixth staging of the most important sustainable tourism event in the country, FITURGREEN, with the contribution from the UNWTO, with whom we have worked on the design of a programme covering the priorities and needs of the entire tourism industry in terms of sustainability, addressed from a global respective”. As he sees it, sustainability “remains a priority for the sector and an established demand on the part of travellers, for whom the responsibility of tourism companies towards the surrounding world and environmental, social and economic impacts are factors which influence their travel purchasing decisions”.