Chile. In May 2013, the National Tourism Service (Sernatur), with the support of the National Board of Tourism Sustainability -integrated, among others, by the Undersecretariat of Tourism, the Undersecretariat of Environment and the Federation of Tourism Companies of Chile- created this category to recognize those establishments that take care of the environment, heritage and the local environment in Chile.
Happy House, Plaza San Francisco, Atton El Bosque and Hostel Lucía Suites are the pioneers in having this new sign.
The venues that apply to this category are evaluated in three items. The first of these has to do with culture and heritage; the second, with the care of the environment, and the third, is related to the link with the local environment.
According to the Undersecretary of Tourism, Daniel Pardo, this is a path that the activity must undertake urgently. "Several international studies show that more and more travelers are interested in privileging destinations and services that emphasize sustainability and with policies like this we must advance in their dissemination and implementation," he says.
In the country there are another 36 accommodations with the "S" seal. These are establishments that, in addition to applying sustainable practices, comply with the technical standards for obtaining the "Q" seal of Tourist Quality.
At the moment, the new sign is delivered only to companies in the hotel sector. However, the intention of Sernatur is that in the medium term it is extendable to all tourism service providers that have within their practices some that generate a positive impact at the local level, such as restaurants or tourism agencies.
"We hope that during 2014 more establishments will join and that just as today the "Q" seal endorses a safe and quality service, the "S" guarantees that, in addition to quality, a service aligned with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices is provided," says the metropolitan regional director of Sernatur, Nicolas Blanco.
