Madeira certified as a sustainable tourism destination

The Autonomous Region of Madeira was recognized as a sustainable tourism destination, having received the Silver Award from EarthCheck, an international certifying entity accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to certify tourism destinations.

The certification process was developed by Madeira’s Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Culture, and started at the end of July 2021, with the support of IPDT – Turismo e Consultoria.

Several local actors, organized in working groups, which are part of the Destination’s Sustainability Management Structure, contributed to this distinction. And, also, a wide range of entities, namely regional authorities, institutes, representatives of local authorities, public entities, associative or private entities, and also non-governmental organizations.

The process involved collecting data and evidence to meet the requirements of the EarthCheck regulatory standard.

In December 2022, the destination was audited, resulting in the attribution of the Silver Award.

Within five years, Madeira may receive a higher level of certification from EarthCheck: Gold. For this it needs to continue the work of protecting its resources, through tourism dynamics, involving the entire local community.

Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism and Culture of Madeira, said that this “is an important step towards the affirmation of Madeira as a ‘must-visit’ at a global level, based on the sustainable development and the involvement of the entire local community”.