The Ajuntament de Sitges has completed the Sustainable Tourism Plan in Destinations (PSTD), funded by the Next Generation EU European funds as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The programme has been completed with an implementation rate of almost 100% across the four strategic areas that structure the programme: green and sustainable transition, energy efficiency, digital transition and competitiveness.

The plan received a €5 million grant, which made it possible to carry out 12 projects with a total investment of €4,927,590.15. These initiatives are helping to transform Sitges into a more sustainable, resilient, accessible, digital and competitive tourist destination, while also improving residents’ quality of life.

The Mayor of Sitges, Aurora Carbonell, highlighted that “the Next Generation funds have represented an extraordinary opportunity to promote transformative projects that, without this European funding, would have been much more difficult to make a reality. Thanks to this programme, we have been able to make progress in sustainability, mobility, digitalisation, accessibility and quality, leaving a legacy that improves the municipality both for residents and for the people who visit us.” The Mayor also highlighted the work carried out by the Tourism Department, which was responsible for coordinating the entire funding programme.

As part of the Green and Sustainable Transition area, high-impact environmental projects have been promoted, including the first phase of the system for reusing reclaimed water from the Sitges–Sant Pere de Ribes wastewater treatment plant (€1.6 million). This water will be used to irrigate green spaces and for street cleaning. The project helps make use of a water resource that was previously discharged into the sea and strengthens Sitges’ resilience in the face of drought episodes. The redevelopment of the seafront in Les Botigues de Sitges has also been completed, improving mobility for pedestrians and cyclists, services, street furniture, lighting and the protection of the coastal environment.

The Energy Efficiency area has focused a significant part of its actions on promoting more sustainable mobility, including the construction of new cycle lanes connecting the seafront promenade with the PPU1-La Plana Est sector, the Can Pei school area and Miralpeix. Pedestrian routes and public-space accessibility have also been improved by renovating and widening pavements, adapting and creating pedestrian crossings, upgrading street lighting and introducing traffic-calming measures. In parallel, a decarbonisation programme has been developed for companies in the tourism sector with the aim of reducing their carbon footprint.

Regarding the Digital Transition area, the PSTD has enabled the introduction of innovative tools to improve municipal management and the visitor experience. These initiatives include the implementation of a smart parking system providing real-time information on the availability of spaces in the regulated car parks at Can Robert and Sínia Morera; the development of a tourism intelligence system to improve tourism management in Sitges through data analysis and facilitate municipal decision-making based on objective information; the installation of licence plate recognition cameras to manage access to the town centre with the aim of calming traffic; and the renewal of the tourism websites.

The Competitiveness area has promoted initiatives aimed at consolidating a more inclusive and higher-quality tourism model. The projects carried out include the installation of accessible wooden walkways to facilitate access to the beaches, training in universal accessibility for the tourism sector, the refurbishment of the pedestrian footbridge over the railway tracks at Emerencià Roig Street, and the creation of a portfolio of tourism products and resources in Sitges to promote the cultural, wine and food, and nautical sectors.

Impact of the Next Generation EU Sustainable Tourism Plans in Destinations

Calculating the impact of the Next Generation funds is a challenge, as all the projects carried out have a long-term impact. Nevertheless, according to a study by the University of Barcelona, the estimated impact on Catalonia’s GDP is expected to reach around 6.2% by 2027 thanks to the multiplier effect of these resources, which is estimated at approximately 1.5. Therefore, in Sitges, the potential economic impact would amount to €7.5 million.

The Mayor of Sitges, Aurora Carbonell, states that “Sitges has met the challenge and has completed all the projects within the timeframe established by the European Union. We therefore have a total of 12 projects that will generate a potential economic impact of €7.5 million, a very significant figure that we are confident will benefit residents.”

The Sustainable Tourism Plan in Destinations in Sitges has enabled the implementation of 12 projects that are making the town a more sustainable, innovative destination, better prepared to face the challenges of the future.