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La carta europea de turismo sostenible en La Gomera

Strategy for sustainable tourism in La Gomera
Article Index
Strategy
1. Collaborative work
2. Devise and apply a strategy and a plan of action
3. Protection and appreciation of natural, cultura and historical heritage
4. Quality, what the island offers tourist, and visitors satisfaction
5. Appropriate information about the area
6. Products of interest for tourism
7. Training and education
8. Maintaining the quality of local life
9. Benefits for the local economy
10. Regulation and management of visitors flow
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Introduction

The objective of this document is to establish which should be the basic lines of action over the next five years for the development of an integral, sustainable management plan for tourism, within the parameters of the Carta Europea del Turismo Sostenible (CETS), or European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, on the island of La Gomera. The area of application for this strategy and plan of action will be the whole island, as the socio-economic factor influencing the Garajonay National Park, and also because the island is treated as one unit by agencies involved in the island's tourism development.

This strategy and plan of action are the result of a process developed between the years 2005 and 2008 which, has followed the following phases (Find out more).

  • Phase 1. Investigation design and document study.
  • Phase 2. Formation and collection of information, in which nearly 120 interviews were conducted, using 280 respondents. The aim was to assess the perspective of the island's tourism sector as regards the implantation of CETS in La Gomera, other than as courses and conferences  understood to be necessary to cover required training for the process.
  • Phase 3. Problem analysis and drawing up of proposals, in which 39 workshops were held for 154 participants. Together with information compiled in previous phases, this phase served to establish proposals for the work necessary to implant CETS in La Gomera. Phase 3 closed with a final conference, where proposals were assessed and prioritized, with 39 lines of action being chosen.
  • Phase 4. Devising a plan of action, in which, using consensus and coordination, action promised by social organizations involved was defined within the framework of the 39 lines of action selected.

Work with involved entities in devising the definitive plan of action started on November 26th, 2007 with a general meeting at island level. There was a detailed presentation of the 39 plans of action chosen at the final conference closing phase 3, explaining the degree of involvement required by each of the organizations participating voluntarily in this project.

 The method of work used to devise the plan of action consisted in the creation of work groups , working contiguously on all the lines of action (or specified objectives.) The groups were formed bearing in mind their affinity with, or relevance of experience to, lines of action worked on.

Each participant was previously given a sample worksheet and work calendar, in order to draw up proposals for presentation at each meeting of the work group. In each of the work groups, consensus was arrived at about individual, or group, action. The number of sessions projected for each group had been two, but many groups were able to achieve consensus and devise a plan of action in one session, largely thanks to the determination and enthusiasm of the participants. 11 work groups met for a total of fourteen sessions between December 2007 and February 2008.

After each session of the work groups, when action had been agreed upon, representatives of the organizations taking part in the process drew up technical dossiers of actions, conforming with the plan. The model used for the dossiers was based on plans of action for other natural spaces, already part of CETS in Spain.

 Each technical dossier contains:

  • General objectives, emanating directly from the CETS principles.
  • Specific objectives, or lines of action, prioritized from all work proposals arising from launching CETS.
  • Action defined by means of an adequate description.
  • Justification of each action, deriving from identified potentialities and difficulties directly affecting the tourism sector.
  • The body responsible for carrying out the action.
  • Other agents identified as implicated in the action.
  • Estimate of costs involved in carrying out the action.
  • Anticipated results.
  • Criteria necessary to measure the level of accomplishment of the action.
  •  Breakdown showing expected completion dates of the actions over the five year period of the plan.
This document is structured based on ten principles established by CETS. Each one has been defined, according to what will be the strategic objectives and actions agreed upon by agents involved.  Each action will be subsequently specified on a technical dossier.
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