Frequently asked questions

It is a programme targeted at companies, services and public organisations in the Barcelona city and counties that want to improve their tourism sustainability management and strengthen their positioning as a tourist destination.

The aim of the programme is to promote sustainability in Barcelona city and province and to recognise businesses, services and organisations that are committed to responsible management that respects the environment, the culture and the social and economic return for the city and province. The programme is based on the seventeenth Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

It is promoted by Barcelona Provincial Council and Barcelona City Council, with the support of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, the Barcelona Tourism Consortium and the province's county tourism bodies.

Sustainable Destination Barcelona was launched in 2017 with the name ‘Commitment to Sustainable Tourism’, promoted by Barcelona Provincial Council with the support of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce.

In 2019, Barcelona City Council joined the programme with the support of the Barcelona Tourism Consortium, thus expanding its scope to include all tourism businesses, services and public organisations across the province.

Now, in 2026, the programme is taking a further step forward by adopting its own visual identity and a more direct approach with the name ‘Sustainable Destination Barcelona’, which is more closely aligned with the local branding to make it more recognisable for both residents and domestic and international visitors.

The programme has constantly introduced improvements to adapt to an evolving social, regulatory and market context, where sustainability is no longer an added value but a structural requirement linked to competitiveness, access to funding and social recognition.

These developments help to increase public recognition of participating businesses, simplify verification processes, improve the traceability of data and indicators, better adapt the programme to the region’s specific needs, boost the benefits for participating companies and organisations and reinforce its rigour and quality, in line with the new European Directive 825/2024 on combating greenwashing.

• It positions your business in an emerging market.

• It enhances your credibility and reputation.

• It attracts sustainability-conscious clientele.

• You differentiate yourself and stand out from competitors.

• It adds value to your products and services.

• It allows you to build new relationships with sustainable organisations.

• It brings advantages in training, promotional opportunities and exclusive discounts.

• It helps you to improve long-term business efficiency and planning.

• It enables you to contribute to a more environmentally sustainable and friendly tourism sector.

• It enhances your organisation’s competitiveness.

The process runs annually, starting in the first quarter of each year and concluding in December once mandatory commitments are fulfilled:

• Information sessions.

• Formalise the membership. 

• Attend annual training sessions. 

• Get the consultancy firm to carry out the counselling. 

• Address mandatory criteria from the Code of Good Practice via the management platform.

• Develop an improvement plan (3 new sustainability actions per year).

• Participate in the collective destination session. 

Beyond the training sessions and collective destination session (a few mornings or afternoons per year), you’ll need to allocate time for advisory hours (5 hours in the first year, 2 hours in subsequent years), for completing the Code of Good Practice questionnaire and for preparing your annual improvement plan via the platform. Some organisations complete the entire process within a couple of months, while others spread it across the year.

Once you join the programme, you will be assigned a consultancy firm that will provide individualised guidance throughout the process. During the advisory session, you have to review the sustainability requirements your organisation must meet according to the platform’s Code of Good Practice and draft the improvement plan for the current year.

After the session, a report will be prepared detailing any unmet requirements and additional recommendations. 

The manuals of best practices include the requirements that must be met and vary according to the tourism type and reality of your organisation. It includes both mandatory requirements and recommended actions to improve sustainability management in your organisation. 

The areas on which the different requirements have been formulated are: Climate Change, Environment, Social, Economy and Culture. 

The improvement plan records the actions your organisation must implement during the year. A minimum of 3 new improvements must be added annually to ensure continuous progress in sustainability. 

This is an in-person working session where you connect with other tourism businesses and organisations in your area to build a network for knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and synergies. 

These sessions focus on themes to enhance the competitiveness of your business and the destination through workshops, sector-specific meetings, dynamics, benchmarking, etc. 

This board comprises representatives from various economic and social stakeholders involved in the destination’s tourism activities and it is responsible for approving compliance with commitments by businesses and services.

You must enter your details and those of your organisation on this form. Once received, we will contact you to provide information, answer questions, and send the documentation required to begin the adhesion process. 

Any public or private entity linked to the tourism sector operating in the city or surrounding regions of Barcelona.

The Sustainable Destination Barcelona programme is completely free of charge. The cost of membership is fully covered by Barcelona City Council and Barcelona Provincial Council.

Please contact us for further information.