The City Council of Antequera has awarded the SICTED badges for Commitment to Tourist Quality to ten entities, including private companies and municipal resources, in a ceremony presided over by Mayor Manolo Barón.
The Plenary Hall of the City Council of Antequera hosted the delivery of the SICTED badges (Integral System of Tourist Quality in Destinations) on Thursday, July 23, recognising the efforts of companies and tourist resources to improve the quality of their service. Ten entities received the accreditation, which is valid until the end of 2027.
Among the awardees are private establishments such as the Torcal Alto Visitor Centre, Finca del Río, Finca Lomas de Tienda, Hotel and Restaurant Lozano, Loaza Congresses and Events, Villa Tere and Villa Cereza. Three municipal services were also distinguished: the Antequera City Museum, the Monumental Complex of the Alcazaba, and the Royal Collegiate Church of Santa María la Mayor, along with the Municipal Tourist Office.
The Mayor of Antequera, Manolo Barón, presided over the event alongside the Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Commerce and World Heritage, Ana Cebrián. Barón highlighted that the broad representation of professionals gathered demonstrates that "Antequera is on a certain path and increasingly professionalised in what it means for tourism management."
The mayor emphasised the importance of public-private collaboration to boost tourism in all its forms: nature, rural, historical or inland. "The ideal is public-private collaboration to ensure that all aspects related to tourism progress, but always seeking quality," he stated.
For her part, Ana Cebrián congratulated the distinguished entities, both those renewing their badge and those receiving it for the first time. She thanked the sector for its commitment, as obtaining the SICTED requires meeting numerous requirements and undergoing a constant process of evaluation and improvement.
"That we are awarding SICTED certifications today to both municipal dependencies and companies outside this house means that we are all working in the same direction to certify the tourist quality of Antequera," the councillor pointed out. She added that the badge is a guarantee for visitors, who can identify first-class establishments and resources.
The SICTED project is promoted by the Secretary of State for Tourism and, in the case of Antequera, is developed under the leadership of the Provincial Council of Málaga through the "Caminito del Rey" destination. Companies voluntarily join the programme and establish improvement actions tailored to their activities. Subsequently, technicians from the Provincial Council evaluate compliance with the requirements.
Each entity has received a certificate, a plaque, and a sticker with the "Commitment to Tourist Quality" brand, which they must display in visible places for users to recognise. The accreditations are valid until the end of 2027.
The mayor welcomed the new managers of the Torcal Alto Visitor Centre, one of the main natural resources in Andalusia, encouraging them to continue enhancing it. The delivery of these badges, he concluded, confirms the good work of hotels, restaurants, rural accommodations, and cultural and natural resources in Antequera.
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