With the travel industry preparing to mark World Tourism Day on Saturday (Sept. 27), it was fitting that just a couple of days prior, the Tourist Office of Spain welcomed close to 75 tourism leaders and members of the Canadian trade to “Spain Talks” in Toronto – a thought-provoking exploration of contemporary challenges and innovative solutions in sustainable tourism.
Toronto was the latest stop on the Spain Talks tour, a series of flagship forums hosted in major European cities, including London, Istanbul, Milan, and Stockholm, and most recently Boston. It marks the debut of the series in Canada.
Through keynote addresses and expert panels, the educational evening put Spain’s own sustainability initiatives – and challenges – in the spotlight, as representatives from the tourist office shared a message of optimism and further collaboration with Canada.
“Spain Talks is not only about promoting tourism to Spain,” noted Alfredo Martínez Serrano, Ambassador of Spain to Canada, in his opening remarks. “It’s about creating a common space –where two countries that have embraced their diversity in culture and nature can come together, respect our shared values, and work towards positive horizons.”
In addition to Ambassador Serrano, the high-profile event was attended by Isabel Martín Benítez, Consul of Tourism Affairs in Canada, as well as the Promotion Director of the Valencia Region Tourism Board and a delegation from Lanzarote Island, including the President of the Association of Hotels and Apartments of Lanzarote.
Some of Canada’s most distinguished academic and tourism industry voices weighed in on panels like “How to Keep Balance between Local Populations and Tourists” and “Designing a Tourism Industry That Includes Everyone,” sharing knowledge and best practices with those in attendance.
Among them were sustainability experts Dr. Rachel Dodds, Professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University and Fergus Maclaren, Professor Emeritus of the International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICOMOS).
Toronto-based AccessNow CEO and Founder Maayan Ziv and Miguel Carrasco, Director of Accessible Tourism from Spain’s Tur4All, lent their voices and ideas to an in-depth discussion about making destinations accessible.
In addition to the dialogues, the tourist office also presented a series of awards, celebrating excellence in sustainable tourism across both Canada and Spain.
The award categories and winners included:
- The Experience Award, recognizing Spain’s most sustainable tourism product or experience, with emphasis on authenticity was presented to Kensington Travel
- The Business Award, recognizing the company with the strongest ESG credentials, with outstanding commitment to programs such as inclusion, recycling, and accessibility was given to Le Germain Hotels
“Spain Talks Toronto marks a new beginning of a deeper Spain-Canada collaboration in sustainable tourism,” said Consul Martín Benítez. “Spain has become one of the top destinations for Canadians and the two countries are experiencing even greater connectivity. Together, we can set an inspiring example of successful sustainable tourism policies and cultivate an even stronger relationship in the future.”
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