Sitges City Council, through the Councillor’s Office for Tourism, has launched an innovative decarbonisation programme to help businesses in the tourism sector reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to make tourism more sustainable while also preparing the sector for a future in which environmental responsibility will offer a key competitive advantage. The project seeks to provide businesses with specific tools to measure and reduce their environmental impact.

Coordinated by Institut Cerdà, the initiative is rolled out in several phases. It starts with an individual analysis for each business, looking at its energy consumption, operating habits and measures already in place. Based on this study, recognised tools are used to calculate the business’s carbon footprint and specific reduction measures are proposed. Examples of measures include installing renewable energy systems with solar panels, switching to LED lighting, improving HVAC systems and building efficiency, and promoting electric mobility and the reuse of resources. For six months, participating businesses receive technical advice and follow-up support to as they implement improvements. The project culminates with them signing up to the Glasgow Declaration.

Towards a more responsible tourism model

The plan includes a wide range of tourism stakeholders, from accommodations and tourism offices to cultural, sports and nautical companies. The programme involves a small number of businesses, and results so far show that beyond the environmental benefits, the measures implemented also help reduce costs, improve brands and open the door to new green funding options.

This initiative is helping drive the structural transformation of the city’s tourism model, in line with the 2050 Sitges Climate Plan being developed by City Council to move Sitges towards climate neutrality. It’s also in line with the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism, which sets the goal of emissions neutrality by 2050. The commitment reaffirms Sitges’s leadership as a climate-conscious destination that’s dedicated to the environment and a better future for all.

The Decarbonisation Programme for the Sitges Tourism Sector is part of City Council’s “Sitges, a Sustainable, Competitive, Inclusive and Smart Tourism Destination” project, which in turn is part of the Tourism Sustainability Plan for Destinations, specifically area 2, “Improving Energy Efficiency”, and has received Next Generation EU funding.