The tourism sector in the Pyrenees and Terres de Lleida is making strides towards creating an accessible environment for all visitors. Juan Antonio Serrano, the vice president of the Tourism Board, stated that the organisation is committed to ensuring that the destination becomes increasingly inclusive and better equipped to meet the diverse needs of individuals.
On Friday, the Lleida Provincial Council's Tourism Board hosted an informative meeting to introduce the Network for Tourism for All, an initiative promoted by the Government of Catalonia through the Directorate General of Tourism and the Catalan Tourism Agency (ACT). The meeting included representatives from the Tourism Board, the Equality Department, regional councils, the strategic tourism table, and the Network itself.
During the meeting, attendees learned about the Network's objectives, which aim to establish Catalonia as a leading destination for accessibility. The Tourism Board actively participates in the technical group of the Network for Tourism for All, which holds monthly meetings with accessible tourism officials from promotional bodies across the four Catalan provinces and the city of Barcelona. This collaborative effort has strengthened territorial coordination, facilitated knowledge sharing, and advanced the alignment of criteria regarding accessible tourism.
Serrano emphasised that accessibility is a central focus of their strategic plan, viewing tourism as a tool for territorial cohesion, economic progress, and social well-being. He asserted that “we work to ensure our destination is increasingly inclusive and better prepared to respond to the diverse needs of individuals.”
He also highlighted the growing number of accommodations, activity providers, facilities, natural spaces, and services in the Pyrenees and Terres de Lleida that are adapted for all visitors. Patrick Torrent, the executive director of the Catalan Tourism Agency, added that “from Tourism of the Government of Catalonia, we are working to promote a model based on quality: we do not want more tourism; we want better tourism that contributes to making Catalonia a better place for everyone.”
Torrent noted that the Network for Tourism for All reinforces the commitment to accessible tourism and promotes a strategy to share with other entities and businesses in the sector. He described tourism as a positive transformative tool for the territory, contributing to the development of a more accessible destination that benefits both visitors and local residents.
The meeting also featured contributions from Juli Alegre, the director of the Tourism Board; Cristina Llagostera, the Social Sustainability Coordinator of the ACT; Marta Pedrico, the technical secretary of the Network for Tourism for All; and Pablo Ortega, the promotion and marketing officer of the Directorate General of Tourism's tourism offices.
