The LIFE Wat’savereuse project ends successfully

• Institutions from the territories of Catalonia, Balearic Islands and Occitania participate in the project
• The objective of the project was to raise awareness among tourists, accommodations, local communities and regional authorities about the importance of saving and reusing water in the tourism field.

The LIFE Wat’savereuse project, started in 2020 with the participation of institutions from the territories of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Occitania (France), has reached its successful conclusion. The consortium, led by the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion, had the participation of the Catalan Water Agency, Eurecat and the Catalan Water Partnership in the Catalan area, with ABAQUA, AETIB and the Cliq-IB in terms of the Balearic Islands and with AD ‘OCC and AquaValley in Occitania. The objective of the project was to raise awareness among tourists, accommodations, local communities and regional authorities about the importance of saving and reusing water in the tourism field.

During the three and a half years of execution, the project has developed a series of communication campaigns that have covered a wide range of resources and techniques. This has included the distribution of information brochures and other visual materials aimed at encouraging sustainable water use among tourists. In addition, promotional videos have been produced to raise awareness among the population about the scarcity of water and several sessions have been organized aimed at those responsible for tourist accommodation in the territories involved. These conferences have highlighted the critical importance of efficient and sustainable water management, presenting technologies for saving and reuse, as well as success stories applied in the sector. It should be noted that these days were organized in collaboration with sector associations and local entities, achieving wide dissemination and participation.

The final event of the project took place in Palma (Mallorca) on March 21, coinciding with the celebrations of World Water Day. Throughout the day, authorities from the three participating regions, local entities and representatives of the European Commission spoke, expressing a firm commitment to sustainability related to the use of water in tourism activity. During the event, Xavier Bernard-Sans, secretary general of the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion, presented the most notable results of the project. It was highlighted that LIFE Wat’savereuse has managed to raise awareness among more than 14 million tourists and more than 3,000 hotel establishments during its implementation period, underlining its significant contribution to raising awareness about the importance of sustainable water management in the tourism sector. . Regarding regional policies, emphasis was placed on aid aimed at promoting water saving and reuse projects in tourist accommodation of the General Directorate of Tourism of the Generalitat of Catalonia and on a similar line of help already announced at regional level. Balearic Islands.

This project has represented a firm step towards sustainable water management in the tourism industry and has set a precedent in transnational collaboration to address environmental challenges in the context of tourism. His legacy will endure in future policies and practices, promoting responsible and efficient use of water resources in participating regions.