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The European Commission awards Benidorm the distinction that recognises it as a Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism in the EU for 2025

 

 

• The event took place in the Plaza de la Hispanidad, where the EC representative presented the city as an “example and inspiration for its commitment to a more sustainable future.”
• Mayor Toni Pérez reaffirms his commitment to “continue working to increase the recognition of Benidorm as a great destination in Europe and the world”
• The placement of the sculpture and the presentation of the badge mark the beginning of a whole year of informative actions 

 

Benidorm now displays the sculpture in one of the areas most frequented by thousands of citizens and visitors on a daily basis, the Plaza de la Hispanidad, which certifies it as a Pioneer Green Destination for Smart Tourism in the European Union for 2025, a recognition granted by the European Commission as a leading city in smart and sustainable tourism. The mayor of the city, Toni Pérez, received this award from Andrea Staicu, head of the tourism sector at the European Commission, who travelled to the city with a delegation from this organisation to officially present the award, which “highlights our exceptional commitment to shaping the future of sustainable and innovative tourism and endorses the commitment we began in 2015 in favour of sustainability and smart tourism”, said Toni Pérez. 

 

The award ceremony took place today, in the Plaza de la Hispanidad itself, after being granted in Brussels on November 27, when Benidorm beat out the rest of the European cities that had been selected as finalists: Aveiro (Portugal), Jurmala (Latvia), Liepãja (Latvia), Nea Propontida (Greece), Panevézys (Lithuania) and Sliven (Bulgaria). It brought together a large institutional representation and the business and associative fabric of Benidorm. Among the attendees, in addition to Andrea Staicu herself, the European Commission also brought its head of Tourism Policies, Misa Labarile; and the representative of the Italian City Council of Grossetto, selected as Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism in 2024. Also participating alongside them were Enrique Martínez, president of Segittur; Senator Agustín Almodóbar; the delegate of the Consell, Agustina Esteve; the regional secretaries for Representation before the European Union and Tourism, Pablo Gustavo Broseta and José Manuel Camarero, as well as members of the Security Forces, the local Corporation or the managing body of the DTI, among others. 

 

The mayor of the city, Toni Pérez, began his speech by thanking the European Commission for this distinction and congratulating the people of Benidorm for having achieved it. “We are a town that always sets itself challenges,” he said, and then reproduced some words spoken more than 60 years ago by the then mayor Pedro Zaragoza: “The courage of the pioneers is still alive; our dream, always imagining the future and making it a reality. That is what we are working on.” 

 

During his speech, the mayor recalled that in 2025 “we celebrate 700 years of history as a town” and that “in the course of our own history, Benidorm once bet on tourism”. After a tour of some of the great milestones of urban management and the city's tourist trajectory, Toni Pérez focused on 27 November 2024, when “Brussels recognised Benidorm's achievements and efforts in terms of smart and sustainable tourism, as well as practices of transformation and ecological transition as a tourist destination, which we will now expand on with our imminent Urban Agenda”.

“Today we reaffirm our desire to continue working to increase the reputational recognition of our city as a great destination in Europe and the world,” he said, and then affirmed that “taking care of Benidorm, making it more resilient and sustainable, taking care of those who live here and those who come to enjoy this place of happiness, is what is not only being demanded but also recognized throughout the world right now.” 

 

To conclude, the mayor used the slogan that Benidorm used in its candidacy to win the award, “Why not?” and stated that this distinction as a 'Green Pioneer' “will be a further incentive in our strategy and in our way of working from today”.

 

For her part, the head of the tourism sector of the European Commission, has applauded in her speech that “the success of Benidorm lies in its commitment to sustainability, it is at the forefront of adaptation to climate change and stands out for its intelligent management of water and energy”. All of this “positions the city as a great example for other coastal destinations, sharing solutions with cities that face similar problems”. 

 

For Andrea Staicu, “in addition to being sustainable, the city can also be proud of its focus on accessibility, with an increasingly accessible and inclusive urban infrastructure, promoting ecological mobility over car use and developing bicycle and walking lanes.”

 

“Her appointment comes at a crucial time for EU policy-making. For the first time – the EC spokesperson added – tourism is not only recognised, but is proud to have a specialised portfolio and its own Commissioner for Sustainable Tourism and Travel”, which is why she stated that “2025 is a decisive year for the new and bold European strategy for sustainable tourism”. Finally, she stated that this EU strategy, which is being worked on “tirelessly” in order to be able to present it at the beginning of 2026, “we see Benidorm as a leader and as an inspiration for what sustainable tourism can and should be” since “its commitment to a greener and more sustainable future is a true inspiration for all of us”, concluded Staicu. 

 

Annual programming

The awarding of this distinction and the placement of the commemorative sculpture, which will shine throughout the year almost at the foot of the techno-milestone, is the first of the events that will be held throughout 2025 to disseminate at European level the milestones and good practices that have earned Benidorm this recognition as a Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism.

 

In addition, in the coming months there will be several workshops and specific events to promote the sustainability of our tourism model not only in Spain but in the rest of Europe. Benidorm is also expected to participate in the 'Spain Talks' that Turespaña organizes in various European cities, where other data confirming the sustainability of the destination will be presented.

 

A bootcamp will also be held with cities that have preceded Benidorm as a 'Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism' destination in previous years or that have received the 'European Capital of Smart Tourism' recognition, also awarded by the European Community. "The intention is to share success stories and see how the solutions adopted in these destinations can be replicated in others; learn from each other and work together for a tourist activity that promotes social, economic and environmental sustainability," explained Mayor Toni Pérez.

 

The Green Pioneer title will also be promoted in the academic field and at various national and international fairs, as well as at major congresses and professional meetings that take place in the city throughout the year. The agenda of activities also includes online training and workshops to disseminate good practices in global sustainability, as well as working hand in hand with content creators aligned with environmental protection and sustainability.