THE STATE CHOOSES TORROELLA AND ESTARTIT TO IMPLEMENT A TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY PLAN VALUED AT 3.6 MILLION EUROS

It is structured into 16 actions, distributed in 6 strategic lines, which will be implemented in 3 years.

1.10.2020

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism; the Generalitat and the City Council will subsidize with 3.6 million euros an ambitious municipal action plan for Torroella and L’Estartit that will allow the improvement of the tourist and cultural offer, and continue with the commitment to sustainability and enhancement of the territory.

The Spanish government made public this afternoon the 25 projects selected within the framework of the „Tourism Sustainability Plans“ program, among which is the one presented by the Torroella de Montgrí City Council, under the generic title „Commitments to quality, sustainability and culture“. It will be the best-funded of the call, to which 154 tourist destinations have opted.

This is an ambitious, very cross-cutting municipal plan, whose main objective is to consolidate the sustainable repositioning strategy as a quality destination, innovative in its offer of sun and beach and active tourism, and responsible with the values ​​of the Natural Park.

The municipal plan is structured in 16 specific actions distributed in 6 strategic lines, which will be executed in 3 years. It is a very ambitious and transversal management initiative that will allow to give a great boost to the improvement of the destination based on the commitment to sustainability, the territory and culture. This work has been recognized with several awards and has made the Torroella-l’Estartit-Illes Medes destination a reference in these areas of tourism and environmental management.

Transversal roadmap

As expressed by the mayor, Jordi Colomí, „this plan will become the roadmap for very cross-cutting management, led by the Tourism area, to consolidate the change in the tourism model that has been taking shape in recent years. It will allow the destination to take a huge leap in quality because it will make it possible to move forward in time with many future actions, thanks to the important economic contribution that the State and the Generalitat will make.“

He also wanted to publicly convey his congratulations to the entire team of municipal technicians, led by the tourism advisor Josep Capellà, and the head of Tourism, Lídia Alonso, who have made it possible to present the candidacy to the call made by the State in the middle of summer and through the emergency route, because without their effort and professionalism, this plan could not become a reality. He also highlighted the fact that of the 16 chosen by the State, it has turned out to be the one that will have the highest financial allocation, which demonstrates the confidence it has generated.

The councilor for the Torroella-l’Estartit-Illes Medes Tourist Destination, Dúnia Oliveras, has also been very satisfied and excited about the granting of this plan and assures that it is not only due to the proposed actions presented, but also to the work done over many years, and to the credibility that the destination has been accumulating with higher administrations, be it the Generalitat, the State or the European Union. She is aware, however, that three years of intense work lie ahead to specify all the programmed actions, but assures that the City Council and the EMD of l’Estartit have the human team and the experience to make them a reality with solvency. For Oliveras, the results that will derive from the plan are an incentive to work and to continue believing that Torroella-l’Estartit-Illes Medes is one of the most powerful, diversified and future-oriented references on the Costa Brava.

The president of the EMD of l’Estartit, Francesc Ferrer, has also expressed his great satisfaction with the announcement of the approval of the plan and the improvement it will represent for the town, especially in a context of difficulties arising from COVID-19. Ferrer recalls that the impact of the pandemic has been very severe on tourist destinations, so the possibility of executing the actions of the sustainability and tourism revitalization plan will allow the generation of new economic and employment opportunities, and improve the quality of life of residents. He emphasizes the transversal and municipal nature of the actions and the good understanding that exists between the City Council and EMD to promote a shared project that increases the high quality standards of the destination.

Correct weaknesses

The execution of the planned actions is aimed at reinforcing strengths, but also at correcting some of the negative aspects and weaknesses of the destination, such as the need to make the interests of different types of visitors compatible (sun and beach, family, active tourism, seniors, etc.); saturation or inappropriate use of some areas of natural interest, loss of competitiveness of part of the business fabric, abandonment of some buildings located on the seafront, deterioration of the urban landscape in some of the most crowded areas, modernization of the offer or need to extend occupancy in the low season.

Specific objectives

– Improve the urban environment and facilitate accessibility to public spaces, commercial areas and beaches

– Consolidate the commitment to sustainability and ecomobility.

– Highlight the territory and the main natural and cultural attractions as elements of the destination’s identity

– Adapting visitor reception services, advancing the concept of Smart destination

– Strengthen the promotion of the destination, associating it with the Natural Park brand and segmenting markets

– Strengthen public-private collaboration and citizen participation in the tourism management model

Actions planned by strategic lines

Improving the offer

o Beach quality

• Creation of new facilities
• Implementation of a beach management program
• Creation of direct access to the sea between the Llevant breakwater and the Molinet

or Urban landscape

• New promenade in L’Estartit
• Remodeling of La Pineda park
• Revitalization and aesthetic improvement of the commercial fabric and services of L’Estartit

sustainability

o Sustainable mobility

• Creation of new parking lots at the entrance to l’Estartit and behind Les Griells
• Improvement of the network of routes to discover the Natural Park
• Consolidation of the network of cycle paths and the greenway between Torroella and l’Estartit

o Promotion of recycling

• Public awareness campaigns
• Incorporation of civic agents

o Maintenance of tourist quality seals and brands

• Promote the SIGQMA for beaches and tourist offices; the Green Destinations, for the destination as a whole and the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS) of Europarc, for all services related to the Natural Park

Enhancing the value of the territory

o Project for the valorization and interpretation of the old and commercial center of Torroella

o Interpretation project of the marine landscapes and fishing tradition of L’Estartit

o Aesthetic and content renovation of information signage

o Management and promotion program for the Espai Medes

o Hiring an external company to draft the executive management project and define the communication and promotion plan.

Welcoming visitors

o New Tourism Office and rehabilitation of Can Castells

• A new Tourist Office will be created in the Plaça de la Vila de Torroella, in the Can Castells municipal building. The new office will also promote the agri-food and craft products of the Natural Park.

o „Smart Destination“ Program

• External technical assistance will be contracted to promote the conversion of the municipality, adapting to the needs of visitors through a deeper understanding of their preferences and behaviors. This process will allow for improved management of public services in areas such as mobility, waste management, information on the state of the beaches, implementation of new technologies, etc.

Product creation, promotion and marketing support

o Integration into leading tourist brands

• „Seaside Villages“, in L’Estartit, and „Charming Towns and Villages“, in Torroella
• Promote that companies certified with the CETS join the Spanish Ecotourism Association

o Natural Park tourism promotion plan

• Execution of some of the actions included in the promotion plan that the Generalitat and the town councils of the Natural Park have been promoting since February 2020.

o Strengthening online promotion

Promoting business and citizen participation

o Hiring specialized external assistance

o Implementation of a participatory process

o Contracting an internal and external communication strategy to publicize the execution of the project and its impact on the municipality’s tourism model.

Source of the news : Torroella de Montgrí City Council

Jordi Gamero

Torroella de Montgrí City Council Communication Service 618545914