Madeira Strengthens Its Standing as a Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination
The Autonomous Region of Madeira has renewed its certification as a Sustainable Tourist Destination, by EarthCheck, proudly achieving Level III of the Silver certification. This milestone is the result of a demanding and rigorous process led by the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Culture, through the Regional Directorate of Tourism – Directorate for Tourism Qualification Services. It actively involves public and private entities as well as civil society in a joint and ongoing effort towards the four pillars of sustainability.
The external audit, conducted in February 2024, assessed 361 qualitative criteria and 75 quantitative indicators. It included interviews with members of the Internal Working Groups and external visits to both public and private points of interest across the Region.
Previous to the audit, an international benchmarking report was prepared, in which Madeira stood out in 15 of the 29 indicators analysed. Notable achievements include the fact that 58% of the region’s territory is protected land, the exceptional quality of bathing waters with 99.5% compliance, and a low landfill waste deposition rate of 0.7 tonnes per capita. These figures, obtained through comparison with other certified tourism destinations, highlight Madeira’s position well above the international average, further reinforcing its sustainable performance.
The certification process also recognised progress in integrated and collaborative management, driven by the growing involvement of dozens of local public and private entities, organised into internal and advisory working groups dedicated to achieving the targets set in the 2022–2030 Action Plan.
With this result, Madeira not only consolidates its status as a responsible and sustainable tourism destination but also reinforces its ambition to reach Gold Level certification by 2027, positioning itself as an international example of best practice in the sector.
This achievement is therefore welcomed with pride, reflecting the Region’s commitment to balanced development, with a balanced awareness of future generations and the preservation of the natural resources that make Madeira a truly unique destination in the world.
