The Network of Tourist Offices of the Region of Murcia now has the certification of the S Standard of Tourism Sustainability in organizations and entities of the sector, which makes the Region the first community with a certified network and a total of 28 offices and information points with this distinction.
This certification, awarded by the Institute for Spanish Tourism Quality (ICTE), guarantees that the management of the offices has a comprehensive conception of sustainability in its environmental, territorial, economic and human variants.
During the presentation, the director of the Murcia Region Tourism Institute (Itrem), Juan Francisco Martínez, along with the Lorca Tourism Councillor, Santiago Parra, explained that “Itrem has coordinated the implementation actions and carried out a training plan for tourist office staff, in which more than 240 people participated.” The training covered the objectives and methodology for its implementation in tourist information services.
“Tourist offices are the gateway for visitors to the Region of Murcia and, thanks to this milestone, we continue to position the Region as a tourist destination where sustainability is a cross-cutting and strategic issue, something that tourists and markets currently demand,” Martínez pointed out.
The network's offices, through their sustainability reports, have committed to raising awareness among tourists, businesses, and the local community. This includes actions to promote natural and cultural heritage, design and disseminate sustainable tourism routes, encourage responsible tourism among visitors, and contribute to the preservation of natural and cultural resources.
It also aims to support local tourism through guided tours to highlight the value of the business sector, as well as educational and awareness-raising actions to reduce the environmental and social impact of tourism.
S Certification for Sustainable Tourism
Currently, the Region of Murcia, with a total of 69, is the first community in number of companies and organizations certified with the S of Tourism Sustainability.
The offices in the Region of Murcia that have this certification are those of Archena, Blanca, Cartagena, Cieza, La Unión, Lorca, Murcia, Águilas, Bullas, Calasparra, Caravaca de la Cruz, Cehegín, Fortuna, La Manga del Mar Menor, Los Alcázares, Mazarrón, Molina de Segura, Moratalla, Santiago de la Ribera, San Pedro del Pinatar, Totana, Yecla, Torre Pacheco, Los Narejos, Lorca Castle, the Lorca Visitor and Interpretation Centre, the Region of Murcia Airport and the central office located in the Tourism Institute of the Region of Murcia.
The Network of Tourist Offices of the Region of Murcia, established in 2002 and managed by Itrem, has 33 offices and 11 information points throughout the regional territory.
Furthermore, the Region ranks third among the autonomous communities with the highest number of offices certified with Q for Quality and the international UNE certification in ISO 900.