Continuing the strategy that promotes Lanzarote as a sustainable destination and taking advantage of the current situation as an opportunity to incorporate sustainability as a fundamental value in all destinations, this Wednesday, 22 September, the "Webinar Lanzarote Biosphere Destination - Companies aligned with the 17 SDGs" was held, organised by ASOLAN, in collaboration with Turismo Lanzarote, the Responsible Tourism Institute and the Lanzarote Tourism Federation.

As the offer of responsible tourism activities expands, so does the number of sustainable companies on the island that are committed not only to the recovery of the sector, but also to respect for the environment and social development. Some of these companies have participated in this virtual meeting as speakers, sharing their sustainability plans and sharing their experiences with the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle (BSL) platform, launched last February as a tool that indicates the real level of sustainability of any company in line with the 17ODS.

The president of ASOLAN and the Lanzarote Tourism Federation, Susana Pérez, who opened the webinar, stressed the importance of working towards sustainability, bearing in mind the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs. "With the establishment of objectives and action plans, aligned with the 17 SDGs set by the United Nations, it is possible to promote not only the conservation of the environment, but also to commit to responsible production and consumption, reduce the carbon footprint, and also contribute to social objectives, poverty, equality, zero hunger, objectives of greater scope contributing directly to make Lanzarote a sustainable tourist destination, and at a global level in the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda", she said.

For his part, Ángel Vázquez congratulated the first Lanzarote companies aligned with the 17 SDGs in the framework of the 2030 Agenda and thanked the tourism employers' association "for organising this type of event, which demonstrates the importance of the private sector in contributing to the positioning of Lanzarote as a sustainable destination". In this sense, he highlighted "the meritorious effort and high awareness of the island's tourism sector in complying with responsible practices, within a broader and more global management concept, as has been shown today in this webinar".

The Secretary General of the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR), Patricio Azcárate, highlighted how tourists increasingly demand more and better sustainable experiences, and it is the task of everyone, citizens, companies, employees and those responsible for the administration, to align themselves with the 2030 Agenda and thus make tourism a vector of contribution to having a better world, and also to be competitive as a destination at a global level.

In this sense, Adolfo de la Rúa, director of Hotel Grand Teguise, presented his experiences and results regarding actions on climate change such as the reduction of energy consumption, participation in actions of equality plans and different activities in favour of health and wellbeing, quality education and hunger 0 with different local entities of the island.

Cristina Guillén, head of communication of Aloe+ Lanzarote presented the most significant actions such as combating desertification, use of environmentally friendly products, organic farming, conservation and awareness of the cultural heritage of Lanzarote, as well as social actions and local collaborations in favour of the environment.

Finally, Nautilus Lanzarote showed some of its activities and good practices based on a strong sustainable awareness through the use of renewable energies, the architecture and accessibility of its facilities, the responsible use of water, lighting and the separation of waste in the establishment, among others.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires joint work and alliances, which is why public-private collaboration is essential. Sharing visions, creating synergies and contributing to teamwork not only makes it possible to ensure a respectful tourism activity, but also becomes a direct way to overcome the current challenges.

In the following link you can enjoy the video Lanzarote Biosphere Destination.