Iniciativas Eco-responsables y RSE

🏆 Servantrip, a Spanish tech company, became a global provider for Amadeus and was recognised among the world's 24 most promising tourism startups at PhocusWright 2019. At the PhocusWright Europe 2024 conference in Barcelona last June, Servantrip's CEO, Manuel Núñez, spotlighted mobility improvements as a strategy against overtourism in Spain. Utilizing artificial intelligence for over 6 years, the company manages over 750,000 resources to structure a fragmented global transfers market, aiding in tourism decongestion.

🏖 Anti-tourism protests on Sunday in Mallorca received notable media attention, with some outlets exaggerating the news. Major TV networks like Sky News, BBC, RTL, ARD, and ZDF reported on the narrative that Mallorca rejects tourists, despite the fact that not all locals participated in the protests. Media highlighted slogans such as "Your paradise, our nightmare," issues of overcrowded beaches and locals' inability to afford rentals — a reality also present in non-touristic Spanish cities. There's a debate on banning non-residents from buying homes that often remain unused and serve for speculation. Additionally, the news mixes these events with local regulations on street drinking and public attire, which are stricter in the tourists' home countries.

🏠 Resuinsa launched the VITA collection, transforming post-consumption hotel textiles into recycled, recyclable products as part of the RECOFID circular economy project backed by the CDTI. VITA offers a range of sustainable hotel items like slippers, planters, storage baskets, and cosmetic bags. The project aligns with the EU Directive EU 2018/851 effective January 1, 2025, mandating selective collection and recycling of textile waste, promoting innovation and sustainability within the hospitality industry.

🚿 La gestión de residuos hoteleros abarca la eliminación sostenible de desechos como comida, papel, plástico y materiales peligrosos. La clave para los hoteles es reducir, reutilizar y reciclar, adaptando operaciones para minimizar impactos ambientales. Los hoteles del Reino Unido enfrentan costes de £82.60 por tonelada de basura, sumando casi £2000 anuales solo en vertederos. Prácticas efectivas incrementan la sostenibilidad y reputación, cumplen normativas y reducen gastos. Estrategias como colaborar con proveedores, optimizar menús y reciclar pueden disminuir residuos y costes. Casos destacados incluyen Sam’s Brasserie & Bar, que ahorró £5000 y redujo desperdicios en un 30%, y Macdonald Hotels, que mejoró su gestión mediante la asociación con un nuevo proveedor.

🏖️ RIU Hotels & Resorts approved new sustainability and supplier policies, updating past policies from 2011, 2012, 2014, and January 2024. Aiming for a responsible, ethical, and sustainable operation, the policies cover environmental, social, governance (ESG) commitments beyond legal obligations. A new Sustainable Purchasing Department will oversee sourcing from sustainable and controlled conditions. Annual policy reviews will adapt to business or contextual changes, with RIU operating in 21 countries and committed to transparently reporting progress.

🏖️ El ministro de Industria y Turismo, Jordi Hereu, insta a las comunidades autónomas de España a tomar medidas para combatir la turismofobia y mejorar la sostenibilidad del turismo. Una manifestación en Palma de Mallorca atrajo a 12,000 personas contra la masificación turística, la segunda en dos meses. Hereu visitó la sede de Paradores el lunes, promoviendo un "gran pacto" para un turismo sostenible y socialmente responsable, y destacó la planeación de una plataforma digital para el registro único de viviendas de uso turístico.

🎭 Workers at Disneyland in California, represented by four unions, have voted 99% in favor of authorizing a strike against unfair labor practices. The coalition, Master Services Council, has over 14,000 members including Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and Disney hotel employees. Negotiations since April seek higher wages and better conditions. A strike would be the first at the original park in 40 years and is expected to be brief, contrasting with the lengthy 2023 strikes.

🏡 Raquel Sánchez, presidenta de Paradores, announced a €9 million investment for improvements in Canary Islands' Paradores located in La Palma, Cañadas del Teide, Cruz de Tejeda, El Hierro, and La Gomera. In the first half of 2024, these establishments welcomed over 24,000 guests with a 75% occupancy rate. Funding comes from Paradores' investment, Turespaña, and the Spanish Government's Recovery Plan. The Parador de El Hierro will receive the highest amount of €3.924 million for total reconstruction, followed by La Palma with €2.884 million for extensive refurbishing. La Gomera, Las Cañadas del Teide, and Cruz de Tejeda will get €1.879 million, €411,000, and €98,000 respectively. Foreign tourists made up 48% of the clientele, an 8% increase from the previous year, and restaurants served 50,000 covers, up 5%.

🛫 easyHotel to open its second hotel in Madrid, expected in the spring of 2025, located in the San Blas-Canillejas district with 94 rooms, a breakfast restaurant, an outdoor terrace, and parking for 30 vehicles, including electric chargers. The construction transforms an old office block, creating 11 jobs. Redentum Partners developed the project, with Colliers advising. Part of the investment comes from a €23 million capital commitment by Ivanhoe Cambridge and ICAMAP, released at the milestone of 49 hotels. The hotel incorporates sustainability with low-carbon rooms, recycled materials, a complete energy infrastructure renovation, an aerothermal hot water system, solar panels, and a battery management system. Karim Malak, CEO of easyHotel, emphasizes the importance of the Spanish market, with plans for expansion in Alicante, Valencia, and Barcelona Meridiana.

🏠 Vestige Collection opens a luxury accommodation in a 18th-century manorial house in mid-October near Palma Cathedral, accommodating 18 guests. Miramar features 8 en-suite rooms plus a 9th bedroom with a private bath, a 31m2 heated indoor pool, cinema, library, office, solarium terrace, and a gym. It joins Vestige's two other establishments in the Balearic Islands: Hotel Son Vell and Santa Ana estate in Menorca. Guests can hire a private chef and use a concierge service for dining and outings.