Spain to Approve “Spain Tourism Strategy 2030” with Climate Focus

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that the government will soon approve its “Spain Tourism Strategy 2030”, marking a clear commitment to embed climate action into national tourism planning. The announcement was made during the 5th Turespaña Convention in Cáceres.

The new strategy is notable because, for the first time, it places the climate emergency at the center of tourism policy. Measures include adaptation, mitigation, risk management, and efforts to ensure that growth does not come at the cost of environmental degradation.

One novel element is the creation of a Tourist Housing Observatory, which will map “tourist intensity by neighbourhood” and help regulate short-term rentals more transparently. The aim is to avoid local over-concentration and protect resident quality of life.

Sánchez emphasized that the strategy is the result of a highly participatory process involving nearly 300 public and private entities, including universities, tourism firms, local governments, and workers’ representatives. This cross-sector cooperation is intended to make the plan robust and implementable.

He also flagged artificial intelligence and innovation as levers for modernization in tourism, aligning technology with sustainability to support smarter visitor flows, better services, and minimal environmental impact.

The approval of this strategy represents a paradigm shift for Spain: the country aspires not only to remain one of the world’s most visited, but also to become a global model for tourism that is both competitive and sustainable.