The debate on the future of travel took place in a unique location, the Horti Sallustiani, hosting the second Italian edition of SpainTalks Roma – Caring for the Future. At the center of the day, there was a fundamental question: is tourism that is more respectful of the territories, communities and local gastronomy possible? If it is true that travel, by its nature, always implies an impact, the urgency is not to stop at criticism, but to find the way to a more responsible and aware management that can make a difference.
The event, organized by the Spanish Tourist Board and sponsored by Turismo di Lanzarote and the Comunitat Valenciana, brought together experts and professionals in the sector to analyze the impact of tourism and promote practices oriented towards an evolved model: the regenerative one.
The first round table, “Territory, gastronomy and sustainability: challenges and opportunities for responsible tourism”, was moderated by our Director Simona Falasca, and compared institutions, science and conservation. Héctor Fernández Manchado (Turismo Lanzarote), Mariasole Bianco (marine biologist, Kilimanjareo collaborator of RAI 3 and sustainability consultant) and Gianluca Mancini (General Director of WWF Travel) participated.
The CEO of Turismo Lanzarote illustrated the island’s commitment to strategic governance, culminating in the launch of the new World Charter for Sustainable Tourism +30. The document, heir to the historic 1995 Charter, is a clear declaration of intent to bind the gastronomic supply chain and operators to actively protect the landscape and water resources of the island, making sustainability a planning obligation.
From the scientific perspective, Mariasole Bianco underlined that tourism must be an educational tool capable of stimulating emotional reconnection with nature, insisting on the need for ethical traceability in gastronomy. The impact of a dish, from choosing responsibly caught fish to selecting local products, is a powerful act of conservation that the traveler must learn to reward.
Gianluca Mancini brought the WWF operational model, which transforms the tourist flow into “positive impact”. Tourism, according to this vision, serves to finance conservation, with clear and transparent metrics that ensure that the revenues generated go back to local communities and biodiversity protection projects.
From sustainable to regenerative: a necessary leap
The second panel, entitled “From already sustainable tourism to regenerative tourism: success cases, good practices and proposals”, represented the conceptual evolution of the day.
With the contributions of Carmen Sahuquillo (Comunitat Valenciana), Ana Rivas Allo (Navarra) and Francesco Tapinassi (Toscana Promozione Turistica), the discussion focused on the need to overcome “do not damage” to move on to the active improvement of the territory. It explored how destinations such as the Comunitat Valenciana are developing strategies that focus on the well-being of local communities and the resilience of ecosystems, demonstrating that regenerative is not just theory, but an applicable planning method.
As a backdrop, the conference by Piedad Martín of FAO, on Important World Agricultural Heritage Systems (SIPAM), highlighted the essential link between the valorisation of local agriculture and ethical tourism.
In conclusion, SpainTalks have once again launched a clear appeal for shared responsibility this year. The hope is that cooperation between administrations, territories, public and private, but also tour operators and agencies will converge to demonstrate that a more ethical and lasting future of travel is within reach. But above all necessary and essential.
The day, opened by the Spanish Tourism Councilor in Italy, Gonzalo Ceballos Watling, and concluded with the Tourism Sustainability Awards ceremony, left a warning: every choice, from the flight to the dish you order, is a vote for the future of the Planet.
