Extremadura and the Provincial Council of Cáceres extend the UNESCO tourism plan until June

The Regional Government of Extremadura (Junta de Extremadura) and the Provincial Council of Cáceres have extended the execution and final justification of the Tourism Sustainability Plan in Destination “Grand Tour UNESCO Territories” until June 30, 2026, funded with 7,000,000 euros from Next Generation EU funds. Addendum No. 2 of the agreement, signed on March 10, 2026, is published in the Official Gazette of Extremadura (DOE) no. 190, dated October 1, 2026, by means of the Resolution of September 25, 2026, from the General Secretariat (reference 2026062458, RCN202600259).

The original agreement was signed on October 27, 2023, between the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, Youth and Sports and the Provincial Council of Cáceres to execute the PSTD actions included in the 2022 Extremadura Territorial Plan, charged to the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The signing of the addendum was authorized by agreement of the Governing Council of the Regional Government of Extremadura on March 3, 2026, and by resolution of the president of the Provincial Council on February 12, 2026.

The document was signed by José Luis Gil Soto, secretary general of the Ministry, by delegation of the minister (Resolution of August 2, 2023, DOE no. 151), and Miguel Ángel Morales Sánchez, president of the Provincial Council of Cáceres. The publication is based on article 19 of Decree 154/2025, of November 18, which regulates agreement activity and the General Registry of Agreements.

An extension to close the execution

The first addendum, signed on December 30, 2024, set the required execution at 30% for the fourth quarter of 2024 and extended the validity of the agreement until June 30, 2026, the execution until April 30, 2026, and the final justification until May 31, 2026. Given the difficulty of meeting those deadlines, the monitoring commission held on September 23, 2025, agreed to process a second addendum at the proposal of the Directorate General of Tourism.

Addendum No. 2 modifies the third, ninth, eleventh, and sixteenth clauses, as well as Annex I, and maintains the validity of the agreement until June 30, 2026. The actions must be executed between December 28, 2022, and June 30, 2026, with at least 30% executed before the end of the fourth quarter of 2024.

Seven million distributed across four axes

The total amount of the plan amounts to 7,000,000.00 euros, distributed by annual installments and axes of action:

• Annual installments: 1,343,000 euros in 2023; 3,275,000 in 2024; 1,625,000 in 2025; 757,000 in 2026.
• Axis 1, green transition and sustainability: 2,644,000 euros.
• Axis 2, mobility and trails: 1,483,000 euros.
• Axis 3, digitalization of tourism resources and services: 785,000 euros.
• Axis 4, competitiveness and governance: 2,088,000 euros.

The actions include the network of experiential scenic viewpoints (525,000 euros), the tourist infrastructure program for the enjoyment of biodiversity (867,000 euros), the climate change adaptation of the river promenade of Herrera de Alcántara (550,000 euros), the visitor reception centers of the Vía de la Estrella and Guadalupe (450,000 and 400,000 euros), and the geomineral interpretation center of Logrosán (99,000 euros).

Three UNESCO territories and expenditure control

The plan is based on the three Cáceres territories recognized by UNESCO: the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark, the Monfragüe Biosphere Reserve, and the Tajo-Tejo International Transboundary Biosphere Reserve. The stated objective is to cohere and structure the provincial tourist space through an identified and signposted route, with sustainable transport and private sector participation.

The Monitoring Commission will be composed of four representatives: two from the Department, assigned to the General Directorate of Tourism —one of whom will hold the presidency—, and two from the Provincial Council of Cáceres. Its agreements are adopted by unanimity, and it meets at least every semester.

The Provincial Council must report semi-annually, before January 10 and July 10 of each year, and present the final justification to the General Directorate of Tourism by June 30, 2026. The Department will justify the funds to the Secretary of State for Tourism before the end of the second quarter of 2026.

The addendum specifies that the modifications do not entail budget execution for the Junta de Extremadura and take effect from the day of their signing. The calendar directly affects the municipalities and tourism companies of the province, which have slightly more time to execute and certify investments financed with European funds.

Source: Official Gazette of Extremadura, no. 190, of October 1, 2026, section III (official reference: 2026062458).