In recent weeks, the OTB has updated the results of new indicators of the Sustainable Tourism Indicators System (SITS-OTB) with the latest available data for 2023. On this occasion, the information of 5 new indicators has been added, two of which¹, although not specific to tourism activity, measure the environmental sustainability of the destination's territory. The other three² indicate the degree of commitment of companies and institutions to responsible and sustainable tourism.  

Less consumption of resources at the Destination

According to data from the Catalan Waste Agency, and considering domestic and industrial figures in Barcelona, in 2023 each inhabitant of Destination Barcelona generated 443.6 kg of waste, decreasing compared to the previous year (-3.9% Var.23/22) and confirming the downward trend in the results of this indicator since 2020. It should be noted that, although in both Barcelona city and Barcelona region the results were lower than the previous year, for the first time since 2018, the waste generation per capita in the region was lower than in the city. This was justified by a greater presence of industry in the region.   

On the other hand, the Catalan Water Agency's data on water consumption in the province of Barcelona in 2023 are also lower than those recorded the previous year. In this case, also taking as a reference the data on domestic and industrial consumption, each inhabitant of Destination Barcelona used, on average, 61.1 cubic metres of water (-5.3% Var.23/22). This reduction in consumption was greater in the Barcelona region than in the city (-6.7% vs. -1.6% Var.23/22). It must be reminded that this fall is framed in a context of drought in Catalonia, which became more important from the year of analysis onwards, leading to greater awareness on the consumption of this resource.  

In any case, by analysing these results, it seems that the increase in tourism activity in 2023 did not directly mean a worsening of these indicators in the destination. In this sense, it should be reminded that other indicators included in the SITS-OTB, such as the number of annual days of environmental pollution episodes - which, for the second consecutive year, was zero -, or the percentage of wastewater treated at least at a secondary level - which was again 100% -, did not worsen year-on-year either. 

Responsible tourism management

In the area of public administration, Destination Barcelona continued to have specific current plans or strategies for sustainable tourism. Thus, both Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Tourism Consortium continued to act based on the strategies set out in the Strategic Plan for Tourism 2020. In addition, together with the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and the Barcelona Regional Council, they continued working on the Commitment to Sustainable Tourism Barcelona, which promotes and recognizes the good practices of tourism companies, services and destinations by promoting the work around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and their certification in Biosphere Responsible Tourism. 

In terms of public governance of tourism, all the bodies mentioned in the previous paragraph once again met 100% of the principles of good governance established by the United Nations: participation, rule of law, transparency, sensitivity, consensus orientation, equity, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability, and strategic vision. 

Finally, and bearing in mind that the sustainability of tourism activity comes not only from the public sphere but also from the private one, remarkable is the evolution of the percentage of tourism companies with sustainability certifications in the Destination, which, once again, grew year-on-year. Thus, while in 2021 only 16.8% of companies in Barcelona city were certified, in 2023 they accounted for 23.9%. In the case of Barcelona region, the companies of which have been more certified than in the city since at least 2021, the proportion of certified companies has grown from 3 to 4 out of every 10 in these two years. 

The SITS-OTB: present and future

Despite the great work carried out in the definition, calculation and updating of the SITS-BTO results in recent years, the Observatory is working to improve some of the system's weaknesses, most of which are the result of the unavailability of data in certain areas of tourism sustainability, especially environmental sustainability. In this sense, indicators such as water consumption or waste generation, included in this article, are still calculated for all economic activities without distinction, which does not allow to analyse the detailed results of tourism activity.  

The OTB recalls the importance of collaborating in the sharing of data, both at a public and a private level, not only to improve the SITS-OTB, but to achieve an even more efficient and responsible management of tourism. 

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¹ The I5: Solid waste generated per capita and the I06: Water consumption per capita

²  The I12: Percentage of tourism companies with sustainability certifications, the I13: Availability of current plans or strategies of sustainable tourism at the destination and the I22: Percentage of good governance instruments

More information: Results SITS-OTB