The Birding Club recently met in Extremadura where it welcomed 41 new members and reached a record number of 174 member companies. dedicated to ornithological tourism locally and nationally.
This initiative of the Government of Extremadura, which brings together the public and private sectors to promote ornithological tourism in the region, recently held its annual meeting in Malpartida de Cáceres, where the new partners, 41 in the last two years, were welcomed and the actions have been assessed carried out by this groundbreaking project in Spain.
At this moment, 174 members are part of this product clubof which 105 correspond to the private sector (60 percent of the total) and 69 to the public sector (40 percent). Accommodations, specialist guides, travel agencies, photographic service providers, interpretation centres, tourist agencies, local action groups and other government departments, as well as various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as collaborating entities, are represented.
Club Birding and ornithological tourism
At the opening of the meeting, Jesús Viñuales, General Director of Tourism, stated that the Bird watching is one of the pillars of nature tourism in Extremadura and a sustainable and respectful activity with the environment and local communities.
«The Birding Club, founded in 2012, was a pioneer in Spain and represents an example of public-private partnership. It consists of 174 partners, mainly companies. You can make appointments, network and improve as much as possible. From the Junta de Extremadura we are committed to bird tourism«, commented Jesús Viñuales.
The responsible for Tourism, accompanied by the Mayor of Malpartida de Cáceres, Alfredo Aguilera, informed the more than 80 attendees, including representatives of companies and governments, about the Council’s upcoming events related to ornithological tourismsuch as the Crane Festival in Navalvillar de Pela (7 December) and FIO, which will celebrate its twentieth edition from 21 to 23 February 2025 in the Monfragüe National Park.
Highlights include participation in the most important specialist fairs in Spain, the UK, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands, the organization of travel and introduction to tourist agents, press and ‘influencers’and collaboration with other events in the region, such as the Alange Swift Festival or the Llerena Lesser Kestrel Festival.
In addition, among other initiatives, the Directorate General of Tourism has updated several promotional materials in Spanish and English, such as the Extremadura bird map, the Guide to ornithological routes and the Birding Club Professional Services Catalog.
During the members meeting the actions that the Birding Club has taken to position Extremadura as ornithological and nature tourism destinationboth on the national and international markets.