- Local cuisine, unique accommodation, local shops and cultural identity projects form part of the new digital ecosystem promoted by the Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands (AMTC) to encourage more responsible tourism.
- 70% of travellers prefer to buy products and services from responsible businesses, which is why the Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands (AMTC) is launching ‘Good Market’, a search engine for businesses and experiences with sustainable values, hosted within the Canary Green app.
This ‘Good Market’ search engine integrates, recognises and raises the profile of local businesses and cuisine, locally sourced produce, traditional trades that are holding their own, and authentic experiences that originate in the Canary Islands and care for the local environment. Using a digital map, the search engine geolocates these products and services to connect them with residents and tourists, promoting a new way of consuming and travelling.
With this new digital tool, the municipalities of the AMTC are reinforcing their commitment to a sustainable tourism model, facilitating more responsible decision-making on the part of both visitors and the Canarian public.
A dynamic platform open to new businesses
‘Good Market’ is a section within the Canary Green mobile app where visitors to the islands can discover and support businesses committed to sustainability. Projects already taking part in this initiative include Quesería Isorano, which produces authentic, artisanal goat’s cheese from Tenerife every day in collaboration with local sustainable farmers; Arena Negra, a craft studio where visitors can witness the design and creation process first-hand and enjoy an immersive shopping experience; and Ecolandlovers, which offers responsible tourism experiences combining wine, volcanic landscapes and local culture.
The aim of this ‘Good Market’ is to serve as a dynamic platform that gradually adds more local businesses of this kind to the new digital ecosystem of sustainable tourism in the Canary Islands, thereby diversifying the tourism offering and boosting the islands’ economy.
For all those companies that meet the aforementioned requirements and wish to join the project, the following website has been set up: https://mailchi.mp/amtcanarias/empresas-locales
This initiative places the Canary Islands’ tourist municipalities at the forefront of using technology to improve the tourist experience and move towards a more balanced and environmentally friendly development model.
Real visibility of a commitment to sustainability
To be included in the app and search engine listings, businesses offering services and experiences linked to the tourism offering of the fourteen municipalities within the AMTC must meet two requirements: firstly, they must have completed sustainability training as part of the Soy Canary Green Specialisation Programme; and secondly, they must have calculated their carbon footprint or, failing that, be in the process of doing so.
“Good Market is a tool that provides real visibility to businesses’ commitment to sustainability and connects directly with those seeking more responsible options,” highlighted the vice-president of the AMTC and mayor of Mogán, Onalia Bueno. “It will enable residents and tourists to easily identify the businesses that are transforming our destinations, reinforcing sustainability as a shared value across the entire sector.”
The Soy Canary Green project forms part of the Canary Green Destination Decarbonisation initiative, developed within the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plans and funded by European Next Generation funds. Through this, the AMTC takes a further step in transforming the archipelago’s tourism model, integrating digital innovation, sustainability and business competitiveness. It also consolidates its municipalities as leaders in smart and sustainable tourism governance, whilst promoting the active involvement of the local business community in the transformation of each destination.
About the AMTC
The Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands (AMTC) was established in 2016 with the aim of defending the common interests of Canary Islands tourist destinations and strengthening their role in strategic decision-making for the sector. It currently comprises fourteen municipalities: Adeje, Arona, Guía de Isora, Mogán, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Pájara, Puerto de la Cruz, Santiago del Teide, Antigua, La Oliva, Tías, Teguise, Yaiza and San Miguel de Abona.
The AMTC works to coordinate efforts to address the challenges facing tourism, move towards a sustainable and competitive model, and secure the necessary resources to renew infrastructure and public services. With a forward-looking vision, the Association promotes projects that strengthen the leadership of tourist municipalities in the Canary Islands and consolidate tourism as a driver of economic and social development for the entire region.
Source: Association of Tourist Municipalities of the Canary Islands (AMTC)