The city of Barcelona has confirmed its status as a Biosphere World Class Destination, a certification that recognizes the advances made in converting tourism into an environmentally and socially sustainable activity.
In fact, Barcelona is one of 17 cities worldwide that have been granted this title, which will be subject to review once again in 2020, and certifies the city's compliance with quality standards in its tourism offering and sector management to ensure that the industry provides positive benefits to society, according to a city council communiqué released on Sunday.
Some of the city's strong points in its case to be considered a Biosphere city are the improvements in accessibility to its beaches, the commitment to inclusive tourism in the Les Corts district, the Action Plan for Sustainable Energy and Climate, the strategy for balanced territorial development of tourism, and the youth tourism fair, among others.
Barcelona was the first urban destination to receive this certification in 2011, which follows the guidelines set down by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), revalidated it for the first time in 2014 and has just done so again.
Moreover, the city is working so that this certification can extend to a growing number of tourism operators, establishments and facilities in the sector.