[From left to right: Silvia Rial, Corporate and Sectoral Sustainability Manager at the UN Global Compact Spain, Oswaldo Betancort, President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Luigi Cabrini, Chair of GSTC and Héctor Fernández, CEO of the Lanzarote Society for External Promotion.]
The event began with an institutional opening featuring Héctor Fernández, CEO of the Lanzarote Society for External Promotion, followed by Luigi Cabrini, Chair of GSTC; Silvia Rial, Corporate and Sectoral Sustainability Manager at the UN Global Compact Spain; and Oswaldo Betancort, President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote. They underscored the importance of collaboration in advancing sustainable tourism initiatives.
Followed by an Introduction to the GSTC Criteria led by GSTC Trainer, Natalia Naranjo, who provided practical insights and real-world examples to help participants better understand and apply these global standards for sustainability in travel and tourism.
On the second day, participants took part in a workshop where they were divided into groups to explore solutions for sustainable tourism practices in Lanzarote, applying the knowledge and insights gained from the previous day’s training. The session concluded with a summary of key takeaways and a formal closing, followed by a networking lunch. This summary will serve as the foundation for a practical toolkit, to be developed and launched collaboratively by all stakeholders, ensuring a shared commitment to advancing sustainability in Lanzarote’s tourism sector.
“Lanzarote and the GSTC began their collaboration more than 13 years ago when the island became one of the first destinations in the world to apply the newly developed global criteria. Lanzarote has continued to champion sustainable tourism and develop best practices that can be applied to other island destinations. Epicentro Lanzarote is yet another example of this shared commitment between the public sector and the tourism industry,” stated Luigi Cabrini, Chair of GSTC.
“Sustainability in Lanzarote is not just a strategy for the future but a historical responsibility, and this gathering drives us to continue advancing in the implementation of criteria that ensure a more respectful tourism—towards the environment, our culture, and future generations,” declared Oswaldo Betancort, President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote.
“From the UN Global Compact Spain we firmly believe that tourism companies can be catalysts of a positive impact, aligning their strategies with the Ten Principles and actively contributing to the 2030 Agenda. Epicentro Lanzarote has been a clear example of how collaboration and training can drive the transformation of the sector towards a more responsible and resilient model,” declared Silvia Rial, Corporate and Sectoral Sustainability Manager at the UN Global Compact Spain.
The gathering marked the 30th anniversary of the signing of the first Charter for Responsible Tourism in Lanzarote (1995). Lanzarote was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1993 by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MaB) Program and was also an ‘Early Adopter’ of the GSTC Destination Criteria (GSTC-D) in 2012.
Photos © Turismo Lanzarote
