Ana Llano: "Asturias has something that is gold in tourism today: authenticity"

Ana Llano, president of the Ecotourism Association in Spain, believes that Asturias possesses a rare commodity in today's travel industry: authenticity.

After two decades promoting rural tourism and protecting protected spaces in the southwest of the region, she advocates for a model based on patience and a conscious connection with the territory.

In a world obsessed with immediacy, Llano proposes a form of travel that transforms the visitor into an active part of the landscape.

Born in Cangas del Narcea in 1974, Ana Llano has spent the last twenty years demonstrating that another way of travelling is possible. Since she opened the doors of her first rural house, La Pumarada de Limés, in 2006, her career has been closely linked to the defence of protected areas and the revitalisation of the southwestern Asturias. She is president of the Fuentes del Narcea Rural Tourism Association and has been secretary of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Asturias since 2014.

Ana Llano, president of the Ecotourism Association in Spain:Ecotourism has a lot to do with relearning patience. People arrive in a hurry, looking at their mobile phone every five minutes, thinking about doing many things, and here they discover that the important thing is not to rush, but to feel. In Asturias there are still places where nature rules, not the clock.

A forest doesn't understand hurry. A sunrise in the mountains needs patience. Listening to the roar of the deer, observing a bear, or simply walking along a path requires stopping, breathing, and being present. I always say that ecotourism is not about consuming a destination, but about letting the territory change your pace.

Llano draws a clear distinction between the tourist who seeks a quick photo in a fashionable spot and the ecotourist who immerses themselves in the territory. The former comes to consume an image; the latter, to understand a place. This understanding, she explains, is only possible when one travels accompanied by professionals who can reveal the invisible traces of the landscape: the footprints of an animal, the work of the farmers who maintain the pastures, or the traditional culture linked to the environment. At that moment, the traveller ceases to be a visitor and begins to feel part of the place.

Ana Llano:Understanding that ecotourism cannot grow at any price is essential. It's not about filling villages, but about generating a positive impact. Good ecotourism helps conserve nature, keeps traditions alive and creates real economic opportunities for those who live in the territory. And for that, patience is also needed. Sustainability does not give immediate results. Building a respectful destination takes years, collaboration and a great deal of coherence.

For InasTour, the ecotourism model defended by Ana Llano is one of the main reasons why an increasing number of international buyers are choosing Asturias to establish their residence, seeking not only a property but a deep connection with the territory and its values.

Ana Llano:Asturias has something that is gold today: authenticity. Here there is still wild nature, living villages and authentic rural culture. That fits perfectly with the philosophy of ecotourism. Furthermore, there are more and more travellers looking for transformative, human and sustainable experiences. And Asturias has enormous potential in that regard.

I believe there is also a wonderful opportunity for a new generation that wants to undertake with values, purpose and patience. Because ecotourism projects are not usually built overnight. They are built by creating community, trust and bonds with the territory.

Ana Llano:Training is needed, of course, but above all awareness. Today, an ecotourism project needs knowledge of sustainability, heritage interpretation, accessibility, digitalisation and environmental management. But it also needs empathy and a great deal of respect for the territory. Because ecotourism is not about exploiting nature; it is about helping to conserve it while generating opportunities for the local population.

In an era where the sector seeks balance between profitability and conservation, Llano's reflections offer a clear roadmap, not only for travellers but also for those considering developing their professional career in ecotourism. Asturias possesses an incalculable value in its authenticity, but consolidating this model requires training, a strong dose of realism, and a firm commitment from the visitor to exchange haste for active listening and become one more piece of the environment they visit.

The model proposed by Ana Llano invites us to rethink our relationship with travel and with the places we visit. In a world where immediacy often prevails, ecotourism emerges not as a passing fad, but as a conscious and necessary choice. Asturias, with its wild nature and living rural culture, stands as an ideal setting to put this philosophy into practice, where patience is not a virtue, but the starting point for a more authentic and sustainable way of life.