Biosphere: Commitment to sustainable tourism in Barcelona
The Barcelona Biosphere Commitment to Sustainable Tourism promoted by the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Provincial Council and the Barcelona Tourism Consortium aims to extend a culture of sustainable tourism among the city’s tourism businesses.
The commitment recognises good practices in the sustainable management of tourism and service businesses and requires compliance with a set of criteria that promote work around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Among other requirements, businesses that adhere to the Commitment must meet various criteria related to water consumption in order to qualify for the certification.
Barcelona City Council subsidises the total cost of this process for companies in the city and also those belonging to the Barcelona Tourism Consortium through the IEET.
In 2024, the Barcelona Biosphere Commitment to Sustainable Tourism recognises 487 tourism operators in the city who are committed to responsible management that respects the environment, culture, working conditions, and social and economic return. Destination Barcelona now boasts over 1,000 companies holding Biosphere tourism sustainability certification.