The clients of one of the main tour operating companies in the Nordic Countries, the Finnish Aurinkomatkat, have distinguished the tourist destination of Gran Canaria for the policies and measures in favor of the sustainability of its accommodation plant. In this way, Germán Suárez, Destination Manager of MTS Globe in Gran Canaria, was responsible for presenting the diploma to the Minister of Tourism, Carlos Álamo, in the category of “The Most Sustainable Hotel Collection”; that is, for having the most sustainable hotel plant in Europe.
Carlos Álamo thanked the badge and valued this recognition in a market in which criteria and advances in sustainability have become a determining factor when choosing a vacation destination and booking a stay. “For us it is very important because it is often difficult to reach the client with truthful information, especially when it is the clients themselves who grant an award that we value as a seal of quality to present to our clients and for them to choose us for the effort made in this matter," he noted, before adding that: "it is important that the effort of our hoteliers in sustainability is seen and that the client perceives it. He wants to say that we are doing things well and we are well positioned in a scenario of great competition.”
Germán Suárez explained that the prize is awarded by the tour operator's client, who, once their trip has ended, answers a questionnaire about their vacation experience. "They have decided that the destination with the most sustainable hotels in 2024 is Gran Canaria, compared to many other destinations and hotels in Greece, Italy, Turkey and more countries." Furthermore, Suárez pointed out that the Nordic client is very committed to issues of environmental sustainability and Climate Change control measures. “It is the path they want to follow and that is what they ask of us, as their agents in the Canary Islands, which is why they constantly ask us and suggest more measures to progress in the treatment of plastics, papers, water and everything that affect the environment. For the Scandinavians, it is a priority issue and they take the initiative.”
Both the director and the director of MTS Gran Canaria expressed that the sustainable criterion is imposed as a recent but very important factor when making vacation reservations. “In all the publications they make, they indicate whether or not the hotel is sustainable, if they are covered by programs or if they have environmental quality seals. They ask a lot and get into all fields, aware of the importance. It seems not but it is already something that influences the client”; expressed Germán Suárez.
Furthermore, Carlos Álamo added that the work that Gran Canaria does on sustainability issues is high, “because we know that it is essential not only for our tourists, but for our destination and our island to remain competitive and a privileged region in natural attributes. The private part makes an effort that is sometimes difficult to convey to tourists and citizens, so these recognitions endorse, for the public and the client, the work carried out for years. We will continue betting on this line, convinced that it benefits the destination, the territory and our society in search of achieving the commitments of the 2030 Agenda, being more sustainable and that this industry continues to offer opportunities in the future as it has done until now. now".
It is worth remembering that the tourist destination of Gran Canaria is one of the main regions of tourist interest in the Nordic market, a priority for the Gran Canaria tourism industry, in which the tour operator Aurinkomatkat carries out its work.
In 2023, a total of 105.459 Finns visited the island. On the other hand, MTS Globe Gran Canaria is the agency that carries out arrangements on the island for European tour operators such as Aurinkomatkat, Jet2 Holidays, Sunweb, Luxair, HotelPlan, among other large firms on the continent.
