The Municipality of Baião reached an important milestone by obtaining the ‘Gold’ certification as a Sustainable Tourist Destination, awarded by EarthCheck and internationally recognised and validated by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The official presentation of the award took place at a ceremony held on 17 June at the Ancede Monastery Cultural Centre – MACC Baião, on the sidelines of the 4th Annual Conference on Environment and Sustainability, which took place at the Municipal Auditorium.
The Mayor confessed his emotion and pride at winning the award: “which is not mine, but belongs to a team, the “Green Team”, and to all those who made it possible to get here. A word also to the people of Baião who continue to support our journey and our strategy aimed at the development of the municipality, in a conscious, structured way and based on the values and principles to which we are committed and which we fulfil, leading Baião to an ever better future,” assured Paulo Pereira.
MERIT ALSO OF TOURISM OPERATORS
Recalling the beginning of the whole process in 2018, considering himself ‘privileged’ for the trust placed in him by the people of Baião, he highlighted the municipality’s tourism growth process, ‘the merit of which is shared by tourism operators, municipal entities and the population.’ He also left the challenge in the awareness that ‘we still have a lot to evolve, and for that, of course, we are counting on everyone,’ stressed the mayor.
‘BAIÃO IS AN INSPIRATION’
EarthCheck auditor Daniel Frey, who presented the certificate, explained that Baião is for him ‘an inspiration’, a place that he did not know at first, but which is now in his heart, he revealed.
Baião thus becomes the first Portuguese municipality to achieve this level of recognition, which reflects its ongoing commitment to sustainable practices and environmental preservation.
As part of a process that began in 2018, since 2019, Baião has been establishing itself as a pioneer in sustainable tourism in Portugal, initially receiving ‘Bronze’ certification and progressing to ‘Silver’ level in 2021. Achieving the Gold level involved four consecutive years of continuous improvement and compliance with demanding environmental, social, cultural and economic criteria defined by EarthCheck.
In Portugal, Baião and the autonomous region of the Azores are the only territories that have achieved Gold certification so far. This recognition is shared worldwide with a small number of cities and institutions in countries such as Australia, Mexico and Iceland.
ANNUAL AUDITS
The certification process involved annual audits that assess indicators such as energy consumption, waste management, water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, green areas, but also indicators related to safety, economy and culture, as well as local community involvement actions.
These audits ensured that Baião achieved increasingly higher levels of certification, demonstrating the municipality’s commitment and dedication to sustainability.
The achievement of the EarthCheck ‘Gold’ seal reinforces the municipality’s commitment to promoting sustainable and balanced development that safeguards the interests of the local community and future generations.
