Costa da Morte Tourism Association (CMAT) has recently carried out a good practices exchange trip aimed at improving tourism management in Costa da Morte through direct exposure to successful experiences in other regions.
To maximize the value of this exchange, the association looked for a destination with characteristics similar to Costa da Morte: a territory composed of multiple municipalities, with both coastal and inland areas, located near a city, and featuring a high-traffic tourist attraction. Based on these criteria, the Uribe region in Bizkaia — managed by the Jata-Ondo Rural Development Association — was the ideal choice.
The CMAT delegation, led by Manuel Muíño Espasandín, Mayor of Zas and President of CMAT, along with María Lema Santabaya (Tourism Councillor of Dumbría and Vice President), Pepe Formoso Mourelos (President of APTCM and Secretary of CMAT), José Muíño Domínguez (Mayor of Cabana and Treasurer), Damián Álvarez Tajes (Secretary of APTCM and Board Member), and Marta Baños Talaván (Technical Support – GOODLIFE), followed this program alongside Jata-Ondo representatives Jokin Etxebarria (Manager) and Jagoba Martínez (Tourism Technician):
MAY 14 – WEDNESDAY
- 9:00 a.m. Institutional meeting and presentation of the Uribe Region at Laukiz Town Hall, with Ion Gorka Elgezabal, President of Jata-Ondo and Mayor.
- 11:00 a.m. Visit to the Flysch of Bizkaia (Barrika-Sopela) with Eder García, Sopela’s Councillor for Economic Promotion and Tourism.
- 4:00 p.m. Visit to the Landetxo Goikoa farmhouse in Mungia, presented by Mayor Alaitz Erkoreka and Deputy Mayor Nagore Torre.
- 5:30 p.m. Visit to the Mustai Ortua agricultural holding, accompanied by the Mayor of Maruri-Jatabe, Erlantz Urresti.
- 7:00 p.m. Visit to Butrón Castle.
MAY 15 – THURSDAY
- 9:00 a.m. Visit to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe to learn about the reservation-based capacity control system and the interactive panels installed to improve sustainable site management and visitor experience.
- 12:00 p.m. Tour of the town center, the Camino de Santiago, and the Medieval Route in Larrabetzu.
- 1:00 p.m. Visit to “La Gilda del Norte” facilities alongside representatives from the Bizkaia Provincial Council: Leire Sáez (Director of Tourism), Dicky del Hoyo (Communications Manager, Transport, Mobility and Tourism Department), and Aitor Apraiz (Technical Assistant, Tourism Department).
- 4:00 p.m. Meeting with tourism entrepreneurs from Uribe — including hospitality, accommodation and active tourism — to discuss the governance model promoted by Jata-Ondo, which fosters public-private cooperation, in contrast to the current CMAT model.
The CMAT team gave highly positive feedback on the visit. Direct interaction with this destination, which faces similar challenges to Costa da Morte, allowed for the identification of practical and proven solutions applicable to our own region. Moreover, these types of exchanges help build collaborative networks between territories, enriching the vision and technical capacity of local tourism managers.
This initiative also contributes to professionalizing the sector, improving the quality of tourism offerings, and advancing toward more sustainable, innovative, and participatory destination management. It is seen as an effective tool to strengthen the positioning of Costa da Morte as a leading tourism destination.
This strategic action is part of the subsidy program led by the A Coruña Provincial Council, aimed at management entities, associations, consortiums, and tourism groups, to enhance quality, competitiveness, and tourism activity. The goal is to observe, analyze, and adapt innovative models of sustainable tourism development, destination promotion, local business engagement, and visitor flow management.
