The 16th annual Sicted Forum was held in Córdoba, Spain, on the 12th and 13th of March, 2024. The forum’s theme was: “A Step Further in Sicted: Towards the Sustainable and Digital Transformation of Tourist Destinations” and brought together over 150 professionals from the tourism industry and served as a platform for discussion, networking, and sharing of best practices among experts, stakeholders, and businesses involved in tourism.
Luigi Cabrini, GSTC Chair, was present at the event and participated in the panel discussion titled: “Governance, sustainability, accessibility, technology, and innovation for the transformation of businesses and tourist destinations”, which was moderated by Cintia García, Tourism Technician, Promotion, Programs, and Tourist Quality at the Territorial Delegation of Granada, along with:
- Carlos Domínguez. Institutional Relations at Ilunion.
- José Ángel Valderrama. Manager of New Technologies at AENOR.
- Tono Franco. Director of Visit Valencia.
- Fernando Fraile. General Director of ICTES.
Mr. Cabrini discussed GSTC’s Mission of being an agent of change in the world of sustainable travel and tourism by fostering increased knowledge, understanding, adoption, and demand for sustainable tourism practices.
He also spoke about the commitment of GSTC’s Members on their sustainability journey and addressed the importance of applying the GSTC Criteria, the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, with practical examples and case studies. Mr. Cabrini also touched upon the challenges faced by the industry and the ongoing struggle against greenwashing.
During the forum, a discussion also took place regarding the new strategy of the State Secretariat for Tourism for the Sicted, framed within the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan of the Government of Spain. This strategy will involve a new methodology and a complete renovation of its training program.
Watch here below the summary of the event:
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The discussions and presentations provided a comprehensive overview of current trends in the industry, with attendees departing enriched with new insights and perspectives regarding sustainability and digital transformation in tourist destinations.