The Paraguayan-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Paraguay) presented the Eco-Posadas project: Circular Economy in Tourist Inns. Initiative, whose objective is to develop a green seal as an incentive for inns to comply with international environmental standards and be more competitive in the tourism market.
Representatives of AHK Paraguay, the National Secretariat of Tourism —headed by Minister Sofía Montiel de Afara— and the Ministry of Women participated in the launch.
Paraguay has more than 300 guest houses or inns, mostly run by women, which have achieved good receptivity in the domestic tourism market. But the opportunities could be expanded with the incorporation of tourists from outside the country through a stable, sustainable and excellent offer program.
The green seal is one of the strategies to expand the tourism market. This distinctive guarantees that the inns comply with international environmental standards (renewable energy, organic farming and small animal husbandry), and make them more competitive in the tourism market. On the occasion, a framework agreement was signed between the AHK and the Senatur.
“The green seal is an added value that rural establishments will have, it will indisputably make a difference in what it means to preserve the environment hand in hand with development,” said Sofía Montiel, executive secretary of the Senatur.
For his part, AHK manager Daniel Delatreé highlighted that similar projects carried out had good results. “In this sector, they are mostly entrepreneurs and combining this with the green aspect of the economy, we believe it can work very well. The responses to similar projects we had were very good, so we are convinced that this project will support the sector itself, and it will bring a little bit of Germany to Paraguay.”
In addition, the president of the Red de Posadas Turísticas del Paraguay, Úrsula Bareiro, recalled that they are temporary administrators of these natural spaces, so this training to manage their spaces, be educational agents in our families, comes in handy for them. communities and also for the tourists who arrive.
Training of 30 inn owners
In order to achieve the green seal, 30 inland tourist inn owners will participate this year in a 40-hour course, which will begin in August (date to be defined), in Asunción. At the end of the training, the participants will know how to make their inns more sustainable and attractive, as well as take advantage of the green seal to position them in the tourism market as innovative and competitive inns.
The course consists of the following modules: Composting, Recycling, Use of renewable energies (photovoltaic systems and rainwater collection), Breeding of small animals and Organic cultivation of fruits and vegetables for self-consumption. It also includes a follow-up from the AHK to verify that the inns have implemented the tools provided during the training. With that in order, they will get the green seal.
As a final result, living conditions in the countryside improve, emigration to the big cities is reduced, rural life becomes more attractive to others and a secure income and self-sufficiency are guaranteed through sustainable and ecological agriculture.
The call to choose the participants will be based on the National Program of Tourist Inns, with establishments registered by the Senatur.
For more information contact the email [email protected]
AHK Paraguay
As a non-profit association, the Paraguayan-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK-Paraguay) offers advice and training to facilitate the business of its members and strengthen economic relations between Paraguay and Germany.
The Eco-Inns: Circular Economy in Tourist Inns project is supported by the Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).