Paloma Zapata


As CEO of Sustainable Travel International Paloma leads the organization’s global efforts to maximize tourism’s contribution to conservation and development in order to protect destinations, preserve natural environments, and improve community well-being. With over 15 years of experience in sustainable tourism and economic development, Paloma has designed and implemented impactful initiatives and projects in 25 nations across the globe. Her work has ranged from addressing the shortcomings of the current tourism supply to deriving sustainable development strategies and formulating policies.

Currently, Paloma manages the organization’s Climate Rangers program to engage the tourism industry in climate action and is leading the efforts to define a Carbon Neutral Destination model.  Starting with creating a carbon neutral destination framework for the island of Palau and now leading the efforts for Barbados to follow suit and become the world first nation to neutralize its tourism carbon footprint by regenerating its island green and blue natural ecosystems.

Some of her recent achievements include conducting the tourism carrying capacity study that led to effective hotel development polices for Aruba and for the Islands of the Seychelles Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.  As well as having conducted the detailed damages, losses and needs assessment of the tourism industry post hurricane (Dorian & Irma) disasters for Abaco Bahamas and St. Maartin.

Additionally, Paloma’s accomplishments included conducting numerous national sustainable tourism plans such as: the National Eco-tourism Vision and Action Plan for the Protected Areas of Panama; National Nature Tourism Business Development Plan for Colombia; Association, Standardization and Promotion of Adventure Tourism in Ecuador; National Sustainable Tourism Masterplan for Bermunda; and National Sustainable Tourism Masterplan for Belize.

Paloma joined Sustainable Travel International in 2015 and previously served as Vice President. Prior to joining Sustainable Travel International, she worked as a Senior Consultant for Tourism & Leisure Advisory Services, leading numerous transformative tourism development projects around the world. Earlier in her career she worked for IBM’s microelectronics division as Staff Industrial Engineer and registered three patents.

Paloma has a postgraduate degree in Tourism Management and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. She holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida in the United States. She is a native speaker of English and Spanish.

 

 

 

All Sessions by Paloma Zapata

  • Day 2 June 9th, 2022


  • 11:45  - 12:45
    Mr. Fabio Tomasi, Head of International Project Department, Area Science Park
    Mr. Aldo Patruno, General Director Tourism and Culture, Puglia Region (online)
    Ms. Nika Razpotnik Visković, Researcher, Research Centre of Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
    Mr. Xavier Bernard-Sans, General Secretary, Euroregion Pyrenees Mediterranean
    Moderates: Ms. Paloma Zapata, CEO Sustainable Travel International

    The tourism ecosystem is facing several new challenges, from climate change, to the overdemand of tourism and health and safety crises. There is an urgent need to tackle specific issues related to reduce disposable materials and waste, reducing greenhouse emissions, improve water and energy efficiency, or implement new circular economy models. The uptake of already existing tools could be the best opportunity to encourage the tourism ecosystem to properly monitor its activities and improve its environmental performance, as well as to guarantee the development of successful, competitive and resilient destinations and tourism businesses in the future.

    This panel centres on specific tools that have been developed by several organisations participating in different European projects and programmes, and will evaluate how the destinations and different tourism stakeholders could adopt these tools that could support the transition towards a more sustainable tourism industry and tourism activities. By exploring how people’s lives have been positively impacted this panel will present the proven solutions that tackle the recurring sustainability problems faced by the Interreg Med destinations. The panellists will share key lessons learned and reflections when considering implementing and scaling the solutions in other destinations across the region.





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Paloma Zapata