La Malbaie, October 7, 2024 – Tourisme Charlevoix and the Charlevoix Biosphere Region are proud to jointly announce the start of efforts aimed at obtaining Biosphere certification for the destination and its tourism businesses.

Biosphere, recognized in 2021 as the best sustainability certification tool in the world according to a report by the University of Sherbrooke in collaboration with Sustainable Tourism Quebec, stands out for its alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and its recognition by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. With over 25 years of existence, Biosphere is the largest international community of destinations and businesses focused on sustainable development, including well-known tourism destinations such as Barcelona, Vancouver Island and Tenerife. It includes a simple digital management platform that provides a roadmap to sustainability and allows real-time tracking of progress, accessible to participating businesses. Once certified, organizations must renew their status annually.

In line with Tourisme Charlevoix's 2023-2027 strategic plan, obtaining certification for the destination will require at least one year of work, including the creation and implementation of a sustainable development plan. Our certification will also naturally align with our neighboring regional tourism association, Destination Québec cité, which is also engaged in this process.

For this pilot phase, four businesses have begun the process to obtain Biosphere certification: Grillade La Bohème Restaurant in La Malbaie, Hotel Cap-aux-Pierres on Isle-aux-Coudres, La Traversée de Charlevoix, and Repère Boréal in Les Éboulements. Starting in 2025, cohorts will be launched to support other businesses in the certification process.

"We are very excited to embark on this particularly concrete project in terms of sustainable development. Obtaining certification for the Charlevoix destination is certainly a motivating goal, but the process of getting there is especially stimulating. Indeed, by engaging in this effort, we will structure sustainable development and transform the destination with tools and a model recognized worldwide, all while being supported by experts from the Charlevoix Biosphere Region," said Mitchell Dion, Director General of Tourisme Charlevoix.

"Engaging in a certification process allows a business to access a concrete, applied methodology to implement various actions based on the principles of sustainable development. Additionally, the Destination component engages the community in the process, thus sharing the responsibility to ensure the sustainable use of our territory's resources. We are committed to continuously evaluating the relevance of this certification to ensure tangible results and the implementation of collective solutions to the challenges we will face. Thank you to Tourisme Charlevoix for trusting our organization to support businesses," added Julie Campeau, Director of the Charlevoix Biosphere Region.

Patricio Azcárate, Secretary General of the Responsible Tourism Institute, stated that "It is a great pleasure to receive Charlevoix and welcome them to the Biosphere Destinations Community, where more than 4,500 destinations and companies align their efforts through the 2030 Agenda, the 169 targets and all the indicators that help them to be more sustainable and align all the good practices in actions and activities within the areas of environment, climate change, socio-cultural, governance and economy. From the Responsible Tourism Institute, we are confident in the positive projection of this project and the global vision adopted with the participation of the business community in the commitment of Charlevoix."

The Biosphere certification represents an exceptional opportunity for Charlevoix to strengthen its position as a destination committed to sustainable development, a criterion that is increasingly important in the travel choices of today's and tomorrow's tourists.

• See the Charlevoix page on the Biosphere website
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About Tourisme Charlevoix

Tourisme Charlevoix is a regional tourism association with more than 450 members. A nonprofit organization and a key partner of the Ministry of Tourism for the region, its mission is to promote the Charlevoix destination while influencing and supporting its development with respect for community living and sustainable transition.

About the Charlevoix Biosphere Region

Designated in 1988, the Charlevoix Biosphere Region (RBC) is managed by a legally constituted nonprofit under the name Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve Corporation. The mission of the RBC is to raise awareness, mobilize, and support the local community in adopting practices based on the principles of sustainable development, contributing to the conservation of the territory's biodiversity.

Biosphere Regions (RB) are territories recognized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB). The global network of Biosphere Regions includes 738 RB, 19 of which are located in Canada, grouped within the Canadian Biosphere Regions Association (ACRB), and four in Quebec.

Contacts :      

Mylène Simard
Media Relations and Communications Coordinator
T: 418 665-4454, ext. 230
C: 418-633-4937
mylene.simard@tourisme-charlevoix.com

Julie Campeau
Director of the Charlevoix Biosphere Region
T: 1-888-435-0138, ext. 1
C: 418-240-0627
coordination@biospherecharlevoix.org