Spain and Portugal renew a cross-border tourism strategy focusing on triple sustainability and competitiveness

The Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Portuguese Minister for Economy and the Sea, Pedro Reis, at the signing of the agreement on cross-border tourism

Spain and Portugal have renewed the Cross-Border Tourism Strategy for two more years (2024-2026) with the aim of strengthening innovative tourism, with sustainability at its core, and continuing to position the Iberian Peninsula as one of the most competitive tourist destinations in the world.

In addition, both countries have agreed to launch an Operational Plan 2025-2027 that deepens and specifies in actions and timeframes what is foreseen in the Strategy document. The first Joint Tourism Strategy for the comarcas of La Raya was signed in 2022 and expires in November 2024.

The renewal of the agreement signed by the Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Portuguese Minister for Economy and the Sea, Pedro Reis, in the framework of the Thirty-fifth Spanish-Portuguese Summit in Faro, identifies the general lines of cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism: the line of triple sustainability (economic, social and environmental), competitiveness, innovation and knowledge, cohesion and accessibility. In addition, six sub-regions are identified where the sustainable strategy will be further developed: North of Portugal-Galicia; North of Portugal-Castilla y León; Centre of Portugal-Castilla y León; Centre of Portugal-Extremadura; Alentejo-Extremadura; and Algarve-Andalucía.

"With the renewal of this commitment, the governments of Portugal and Spain ratify their joint commitment to the economic and social development of the cross-border territory, counting on the collaboration of the local, regional and autonomous authorities," said Hereu.

Four-pronged strategy

To achieve the goals set, the memorandum renewed today envisages the following lines of intervention: a central action between the governments of Portugal and Spain, articulating both bilateral and multilateral policies and promoting the development of the joint instruments and projects necessary to implement the Strategy; another regional action between the regions of Portugal and the Autonomous Regions of Spain, with actions to be developed on both sides of the border with an impact on destinations, products, human resources and external promotion; tourism sustainability plans in border destinations, particularly in the six sub-regions mentioned; and the development of tourism experiences on the border, in the areas of cultural, nature, active and food and wine tourism.

Hereu stressed that "this is the first agreement of this nature that Spain has reached with another state in the field of tourism," and said that "it is no coincidence that this milestone has been achieved with Portugal, a neighbouring country with great cultural and human proximity."

Sustainability at the centre

Sustainability, one of the main pillars of responsible tourism and a priority objective of the Government, is a concept inextricably linked to the Cross-Border Tourism Strategy.

This plan is committed to sustainability criteria on three fronts: environmental, with actions for environmental restoration or management of natural spaces; territorial, which ensures a transformational impact throughout the country; and socio-economic, promoting better paid, better quality jobs and with better performance conditions and training opportunities.

Non official translation