Salou has marked a new step in sustainable tourism, as Duana Suites Salou has become the first hotel building in the Tarragona area to receive BREEAM Excellent certification. The announcement came during a conference in Salou on 4 June 2026, organised by the project team with Salou City Council and BREEAM España.
The event, titled “Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage in Tourism”, brought together institutional representatives, sustainability specialists, and professionals from the tourism and construction sectors. It focused on how sustainability, energy efficiency, innovation, and guest comfort are shaping traveller choices and destination planning.
BREEAM Excellent is an international sustainability standard for construction. In this case, the certification recognises good practice in material use, sustainable building methods, resource efficiency, and a lower environmental impact. The new hotel facility is expected to open during the 2026 summer tourist season.
Speakers included Pere Granados, Mayor of Salou, Patricia Rodríguez of BREEAM España, Vanessa Rodríguez of PortAventura World, Xavier Garcia Parera of Garcia Riera, and Marc Vilahur, General Director of Environmental and Natural Policies for the Catalan government. Artur Miró of Develop Index Ambiental and sustainability director for Grup Calaf moderated the discussion.
The talks covered sustainable tourism, the role of construction in changing the sector, the competitiveness of tourist areas, and the need for healthier, more efficient, and more responsible spaces. Granados said the project helps recover a historic and emblematic building in Salou, as well as the Font de la Duana, while adding a new offer of quality, sustainable accommodation. He said the project combines heritage, identity, and future.
Duana Suites Salou said the aim is to create an innovative accommodation model focused on guest well-being and the environment. Vilahur closed the conference by stressing the need for a resilient tourism sector that can adapt to change and place sustainability at the centre of future planning. For more Catalonia-wide coverage of local news, see our news tag.