The Sustainable Center of Portugal (SCP) project is promoted by Turismo Centro de Portugal Regional Board. Its primary objective is to reduce the negative effects of tourist activity and act preventively to avoid them. It complies with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, namely: Valuing people Efficient use of resources and socio-economic development. Project targets at Intermunicipal Communities and Municipalities, Companies in the tourism sector in the Center Region (accommodation, catering and tourist entertainment companies, travel agents, operators), schools, local producers and residents. It specifically aims to: Diagnose and contribute to knowledge of the territory in terms of sustainability Align and consolidate the positioning of Centro de Portugal as a Sustainable Destination Stimulate the communities’ sense of belonging to the territory; Promote the dissemination of good sustainability practices in the tourist offer and other agents with an indirect connection to the sector Valuing and efficiently using resources Stimulate work supported by understanding platforms (network) Create training responses for agents (public and private) in the three vectors of sustainability: economic, socio-cultural and environmental Valuing the authenticity of the regional offer and the reality of the experiences of inhabitants and tourists. Its actions include: Sustainability Diagnosis and Action Plan Platform of the Sustainability Agenda for Companies Sustainable Tourism Manifesto by all the Municipalities within the Regional Board Sustainable Requirements Manual for companies Consume Location: So much flavor…right next door School Council for Sustainability of the Center Region Program to Combat Food Waste in the Center Region Catering Sustainability Requirements Guide Plastic elimination program Through the various activities planned at the SCP, Turismo Centro de Portugal hopes to consolidate the transformation of this multifaceted mosaic into a Destination of Excellence, whose uniqueness and authenticity of its resources represents the greatest lever for an integrated and sustained development process, based on Qualification, in Excellence, and in the Sustainability of the tourist offer, in which residents, companies and local associative fabric are key elements. One of the strategic actions of this project is the Sustainability Diagnosis, which aims to assess the current status of the Center of Portugal destination, in view of the requirements established by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) for Destinations. The results and conclusions of this diagnosis will make it possible to assume Sustainability as the Strategic Action Plan for Tourism for Center of Portugal. It is also expected that the SCP project will make an evident contribution to the objective set out in the Tourism Strategy 2027, of positioning the region as a tourist destination of excellence, through the promotion and tourist enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage. Turismo Centro de Portugal signed with the Biosphere Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR) the Letter of Commitment, notifying all regional stakeholders of this first step towards Sustainability. From that moment on, the diagnostic process began, which will allow a detailed analysis of the starting point of the territory, and its implication regarding the definition of improvement actions to be developed. Once the actions are implemented in the Destination, their performance will be evaluated through an external audit, which will determine the issuance of the Certification, based on the contribution of tourism and sustainability efforts. Stimulate the communities’ sense of belonging to the territory; Promote the dissemination of good sustainability practices in the tourist offer and other agents with an indirect connection to the sector Valuing and efficiently using resources Stimulate work supported by understanding platforms (network) Create training responses for agents (public and private) in the three vectors of sustainability: economic, socio-cultural and environmental Valuing the authenticity of the regional offer and the reality of the experiences of inhabitants and tourists. Its actions include: Sustainability Diagnosis and Action Plan Platform of the Sustainability Agenda for Companies Sustainable Tourism Manifesto by all the Municipalities within the Regional Board Sustainable Requirements Manual for companies Consume Location: So much flavor…right next door School Council for Sustainability of the Center Region Program to Combat Food Waste in the Center Region Catering Sustainability Requirements Guide Plastic elimination program Through the various activities planned at the SCP, Turismo Centro de Portugal hopes to consolidate the transformation of this multifaceted mosaic into a Destination of Excellence, whose uniqueness and authenticity of its resources represents the greatest lever for an integrated and sustained development process, based on Qualification, in Excellence, and in the Sustainability of the tourist offer, in which residents, companies and local associative fabric are key elements. One of the strategic actions of this project is the Sustainability Diagnosis, which aims to assess the current status of the Center of Portugal destination, in view of the requirements established by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) for Destinations. The results and conclusions of this diagnosis will make it possible to assume Sustainability as the Strategic Action Plan for Tourism for Center of Portugal. It is also expected that the SCP project will make an evident contribution to the objective set out in the Tourism Strategy 2027, of positioning the region as a tourist destination of excellence, through the promotion and tourist enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage. Turismo Centro de Portugal signed with the Biosphere Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR) the Letter of Commitment, notifying all regional stakeholders of this first step towards Sustainability. From that moment on, the diagnostic process began, which will allow a detailed analysis of the starting point of the territory, and its implication regarding the definition of improvement actions to be developed. Once the actions are implemented in the Destination, their performance will be evaluated through an external audit, which will determine the issuance of the Certification, based on the contribution of tourism and sustainability efforts.
