"Our inspiration arose from the unique challenges of Barcelona and the opportunity to improve tourism through sustainable practices."

Alexandra Grossi, Ivana Beltrán, Daniel Tormo, and Danna Festus, participants in the project in collaboration with RMIT University Vietnam and Turisme de Barcelona, talk with us about their experience, where they had to propose responsible and sustainable tourism management in the context of the 37th America's Cup and Barcelona's blue economy.

According to UN Tourism, tourism is the most important pillar of the blue economy for many coastal destinations, encompassing all economic activities that depend on the sea and are aimed at visitors. Among these is sports tourism, which is one of the sectors experiencing significant growth in tourism.

In this context, and considering the reality of the city, students and faculty from CETT-UB and RMIT University Vietnam in collaboration with Turisme de Barcelona have faced a challenge using the "COIL" methodology (Collaborative Online International Learning).

The challenge? Proposing responsible and sustainable tourism management solutions in the context of the 37th America's Cup and Barcelona's blue economy. This is a perfect opportunity to closely observe and understand how blue and sports tourism can and should consider all stakeholders to collaborate and ensure the management, regeneration, and conservation of the marine and coastal ecosystem and its biodiversity so that it contributes sustainably to the blue economy model that Barcelona is pursuing.

"This challenge was launched and worked on at a time when Barcelona was hosting the 2024 Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development Conference and the city was preparing for the 37th edition of the America’s Cup," explains Dra. Elena Ridolfi, a CETT faculty member and project coordinator. "This international sporting event substantially depends on the socio-cultural, economic, and environmental integrity of the space where it will be held. Specifically, on the city’s millennial relationship with the sea, on the economic, productive, and commercial activities, such as gastronomy and tourism, carried out in the maritime and coastal environment through its resources."

How did the idea for your project come about?

Alexandra Grossi: The idea for the project emerged from a common consensus that resulted from a long process of brainstorming, contradictions, and contrasting ideas. However, after conducting a thorough analysis of the territory and the needs related to the event in question, the idea of developing an innovative idea in the field of tourism management, linked to the highly relevant need for recycling, became a meeting point for all group participants. From this point, through collaboration and open discussion, it was possible to reach the final product.

Daniel Tormo: We were trying to create something useful for both tourists/visitors and the community. With that in mind, we thought of an idea to avoid pollution in critical spots like the beaches, where it is crucial to have a clean space, as it is a public area. This way, the community can enjoy their clean beaches, and tourists can use the point system to get free drinks/food.

Was there any specific event or inspiration that led you to develop this idea?

Danna Festus: Our inspiration stemmed from both the unique challenges faced by coastal cities like Barcelona and the opportunity to enhance tourism through sustainable practices. Moreover, we are Digital Tourism students. This aligned perfectly with the challenge theme provided by Barcelona Turisme.

Ivana Beltrán: We were inspired by the small coins that are not good for much, and you take them to a machine that sums them all up and gives you a ticket with the total amount of the coins as a voucher to spend at the supermarket.

What have been the main challenges you have had to face during the development of your project, and how have you overcome them?

Alexandra Grossi: As a group with multiple participants sharing different ideas, thoughts, and concepts, I believe the biggest challenge was to establish a common consensus on various aspects to ensure that the final decision satisfied all participants. Since we always had an open conversation, mostly in-person in the classroom (which facilitated the process), and although there was always an atmosphere of collaboration, understanding, and participation, on some issues, there were "discussions" or rather expressions of contrasting ideas. However, in these cases, we used methods (voting, list of pros and cons, use of a mediator, etc.) that allowed us to reach a common agreement and continue with the work.

Ivana Beltrán: Thinking that the idea we had might already exist. Also, thinking that to move forward with this idea, we need help and the desire to make it happen from many more people, who would be the tourists and visitors of the event.

What has been your experience collaborating with Barcelona Turisme as part of your project? How has this collaboration contributed to the success of your project?

Daniel Tormo: It's always great to have projects based on real events happening in the city and not just regular assignments about a random topic.

Danna Festus: Working with a local stakeholder like Barcelona Turisme was very enriching. It provided us with a realistic framework and valuable local insights, which were crucial for tailoring our solution to meet real needs. This collaboration was instrumental in guiding our project towards a practical and impactful outcome. Their feedback helped refine our approach, ensuring that our project was both innovative and aligned with current strategies.

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