Valencia is one of seven cities on the shortlist for Europe’s Smart Tourism Capital for 2022. This European initiative promotes innovative, sustainable and inclusive locations. Daniel Hazelhoff reports…
“Valencia is working intensively to establish a tourism model based on sustainability and intelligence,” says Emiliano García, Councillor for Tourism and Internationalization, and president of Visit Valencia.
“It’s a fact that our city can compete at the same level as other European capitals and primary tourism cities… Projects put in place by Visit Valencia, that deal with mediation, reduction, or compensation for our carbon and hydro footprints, such as intelligent tourism, have permitted Valencia a position of leadership in the tourism market,” he adds.
The jury of the European Commission will judge finalists for the Smart Tourism Capital of Europe by looking at categories in sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation, cultural heritage and creativity, evaluating 30 different candidates from 16 countries, and has honed in especially on Valencia, Burdeos (France), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dublin (Ireland), Florence (Italy), Ljubljana (Slovenia), and Palma (Spain).
Valencia’s core strategy towards tourism has been sustainability, promoting projects that further the goals of Sustainable Development Objectives (ODS). Within the scope of projects with large social, economic and environmental impact resides an ongoing plan for the reduction of Valencia’s carbon footprint, and an attempt to achieve carbon neutrality within tourism by 2025, while simultaneously working on Valencia’s hydro footprint.
Why is Valencia a contender?
In terms of accessibility, Valencia has seen efforts to increase pedestrian spaces, in an attempt to promote sustainable movement. More than 156 km of bicycle paths have been installed in and around the city, and an increase in accessible infrastructure to those with reduced mobility.
The digitalization of Valencia takes a two-pronged approach. On one side taking special care to the catering of an efficient, and reliable tourist experience. And then on the other, as a tool for leveraging business competitivity. The implementation of the data platform Sistema de Inteligencia Tuirstica is there to help decisions made in the Valencian business sector. Using communication tools between business and tourists such as Chatbots.
Five 24/7 digital information centres are now available to help tourists with queries. And virtual experiences such as geocaching have been implemented to facilitate the exploration of Valencia.
Within the cultural heritage sector, the avant-garde and historical character of Valencia stands out as a cosmopolitan and Mediterranean city. One that preserves important historical, traditional focal points of heritage. It also boasts UNESCO world heritage sites such as Las Fallas and La Lonja de Seda. The cultural aspect of Valencia is an important leg up in its candidature.
The European Commission will evaluate all seven cities within sectors of sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation, cultural heritage, and creativity. In October, the world will know which two cities have won the title of European Capital of Smart Tourism 2022.
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