The Mayor of Arona, José Julián Mena, has presented at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) the International Conference on Sustainable Tourism which will take place in the municipality on the 15 and 16 of June under the title "Holiday Destinations and their Contribution to Sustainable Development", positioning this sustainable tourist destination on an international level.

The mayor explained that Arona wants to consolidate itself as a world reference in sustainable tourism and proof of the work that has been developed is that it is one of the firsts destinations that started the process to obtain the Biosphere certification, granted by the Responsible Tourism Institute. Mena announced that the main outcome of this International Conference will be the “Declaration of Arona" that will set the criteria that a destination must meet to be inclusive with tourists around the world. Members of UNESCO, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the RTI and the Development and Environment Programs of the United Nations, among others, will attend the conference. 

Mena also announced the implementation of a training platform, the first of its kind to be created, to meet the needs of companies and professionals. "This is an important tool that will be the first global platform with these characteristics and that will allow us to remain leaders in sustainability, since sustainability is essential in our strategy to develop new market niches," he added.

Lastly, the Councilor for the Environment of the City of Adeje, Esther Rivero, explained the measures launched for sustainability and defended the intention to implement different actions to adhere to the Biosphere Certificate, while acquiring the commitment of tourist sustainability and continuous improvement. The Biosphere Certification accredits the compliance with the standards of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and applies the guidelines and recommendations of the World Charter for Sustainable Tourism + 20.