The delegate of the Government in La Rioja, Beatriz Arraiz Nalda, accompanied by the mayor of Ocón, Inmaculada Ortega Martínez, visited this morning the actions included in the project “Ocón, Landscape Humanized”, which are part of the Sustainable Tourism in Destination Plan, financed with one million euros through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, provided entirely with the Next Generation funds of the European Union.
Also participating in the visit were the municipal technician, Carlos Jiménez; the manager of the Tourist Plan, Julio Grande; and the municipal forestry engineer, José Miguel Herrera.
Under the name “Ocón, Humanised Landscape”, this Plan aims to boost its tourist value through a green and digital transformation, based on the humanised landscape as a reference municipality of the “Biosphere Reserve”.
Arraiz Nalda has specified that the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plans are one of the most important programs that the Government of Spain is deploying, which demonstrates “its effort to increase the competitiveness of our tourist destinations and bet on a new model that is more sustainable, digital and that increases its capacity to cohesion the territory”.
For her part, the mayor of Ocón has stressed that “it is intended to promote sustainable tourism development, respectful of the territory and its ecosystems, that coexists with agri-food activities and puts in value the cultural resources that the municipality has.”
The Plan’s implementation period ends in June 2026.
“Ocón, Humanized Landscape”
The Plan “Ocón, Humanized Landscape” values natural resources, which are the hallmark of the Ocón Valley, Biosphere Reserve and Starligts Sky.
The projects being developed are:
- The “Cycleable Route” is being carried out, which through a circular road joins the seven villages of the Ocón Valley on a route of 17 km with a small slope, where each village is about 2 km from the next. The suitability of the cycling route will allow both the inhabitants and the visitors who access it to move around on foot, by normal bicycle and by electric bicycle.
- It is proceeding to the planting of trees and adaptation of several rustic areas in Pipaona, at the entrance, in Parpalinas and in Los Molinos.
- The implementation of green areas and parks in Saint Lucia, Aldealobos and Las Rueda has begun.
- Two motorhome areas are being built, one in Las Rueda and the other in La Villa.
- The tourist information and electric bicycle rental building is being built in Los Molinos.
- The award of the work of communication and digitalization of the entire Tourist Plan has already been mentioned.
- The project “El mirador estelar” has been completed, which will be built next to the flour mill in Santa Lucía.
- Drafting of the project to implement the new pedestrian access to the castle of Ocón, in La Villa.