Ecotourism has become the greatest commitment of the 21st century. It is a new form of tourism that goes beyond the environmentally friendly. It combines relaxation, culture and nature, tolerance and diversity being essential in sustainable tourism.
What is sustainable tourism?
Sustainable tourism is a type of tourism that seeks to develop its activity while minimising its environmental footprint. The idea is to promote a type of tourism that respects the ecosystem and does not have an impact on the environment and local culture.
There are 3 essential keys that will help to understand what sustainable tourism is:
- Optimisation of environmental resources. Any tourism project that aims at being sustainable must protect the surrounding ecosystem.
- Protection of local culture. Respect for the community where it is based. Local traditional values, people, architecture, history, and traditions must be respected.
- Fair profit sharing. A tourism project based on sustainability, even if it prioritises the economy, should use these resources to generate employment opportunities for the local inhabitants and even become a factor of change in their community.
What are green hotels?
Eco (green) or eco-friendly hotels are those that have an infrastructure and services that respect the environment by applying it to the different elements that integrate it, such as architecture, gastronomy, the use of renewable energies and ecotourism activities.
As for its architecture, an eco-hotel must be integrated into the natural environment and not encroach on the surrounding flora and fauna. Other points that distinguish a sustainable hotel are the installation of solar panels, the creation of compost and the development of recycling systems for water and other materials, in addition to implementing energy saving measures. In terms of gastronomy, a sustainable homegrown produce should be a priority to provide guests with the best products of the land. And finally, another characteristic of eco (green) hotels is providing their clients with ecotourism activities, which in addition to entertaining, can help to raise awareness about being committed to nature.
Sustainable tourism in the Canary Islands
Hotel Jardín Tecina promotes sustainable tourism in La Gomera through its different actions. By looking after everything that nature gives us in La Gomera, we comply with all the requirements that allow us to fall under the category of sustainable hotels. We want our clients to feel at home and live an unforgettable holiday, surrounded by nature, relaxation, pleasant weather where they can observe our love for details, without moving away from our main goal: to look after the environment by providing quality services.
To this end, every day we conduct a set of environmental management actions:
- We implement energy saving measures
- We use renewable energy
- We promote organic farming
- We manage our waste
In this regard, it is worth mentioning one of our favourite spots, our Eco Finca Tecina. A 100% organic farm based on the principles of permaculture that follows an agricultural design that does as little damage as possible to the soil and the environment. Here, humans, animals and plants coexist in a totally respectful way. In addition, our Eco Finca Tecina has its own harvest where the 100% organic products that we provide at the Club Laurel restaurants and our buffets come from.
At Hotel Jardín Tecina we are committed to the planet and to you.