The Diputació de Lleida has called a competition to buy 84 eco-counters that will allow the tourist burden of various natural places in the Pallars, the Pyrenees and the Terres de Lleida to be assessed. This tender has a budget of 211,502 euros from the Next Generation Funds and is part of the Tourism Sustainability Plan in Natural Destination Lleida.
A network of ecometers for 84 emblematic places
The eco-counters project has the collaboration of the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, the Alt Pirineu Natural Park, the Cadí-Moixeró Park and the Orígens Geopark and aims to create a large network of eco-meters that measure the tourist load capacity in 84 emblematic places. In Pallars, these are Port de Ratera, Portarró, Colomina, Peguera, Cavallers and Estany de Sant Maurici.
As part of the Parc de l’Alt Pirineu, ecometers will be installed in Baiasca, Tavascan, Tor, les Bordes de Virós, les Comes de Rubió and Sant Joan de l’Erm. On the other hand, within the Orígens Geopark, the chosen locations are Cinquè Llac-Montcortès, Collegats, Boumort, Roca Regina and Mont-rebei nord.
A commitment to tourism sustainability
In recent years, the interest in nature tourism and the increase in visits to these natural spaces show the need to know the load thresholds in order to maintain and protect their values. At the same time, the Pyrenees and the Terres de Lleida, with a privileged nature, have since May 2021 the Biosphere Destination certification, promoted by the Tourism Board of the Diputació de Lleida, which recognizes its commitment to the sustainable management of tourism.
In addition, since January of this year they have also been awarded the Biosphere Gold Destination category, awarded by the Responsible Tourism Institute. This certification recognizes the tourism sustainability developed in the territory through the formalization of sustainability plans, as well as the work done to extend this commitment to the companies and tourist organizations of the destination.
A tool for decision making
With the action derived from these 84 eco-counters located at key access points, it will be possible to know the tourist pressure at every moment. This information will be used so that those responsible for the parks or local bodies can make the most appropriate decisions at any given time in order to make the influx to these spaces compatible with their sustainability.
