Tourism Exploration Lab

Tourism Exploration Lab

Tourism Innovation from Collaborative Experimentation

The CETT’s Tourism Exploration Lab is a space for research, development, and experimentation with new technologies, services, and practices to transform the tourism sector.

In this dynamic environment, research, prototyping, and experiential learning are combined to create innovative solutions, explore trends, and test products in real settings, gathering valuable feedback for improvement.

The Tourism Exploration Lab team is made up of a unique mix of academic profiles, each with different approaches and specialties within the tourism sector. The management team is headed by Dr. Ainhoa Carballido-Risco and Dr. Daniel Imbert-Bouchard, both professors and researchers at the CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality, and Gastronomy.

Ainoha Carballido-Risco - Profesora, Investigadora y Directora del Máster en Dirección de Empresas Turísticas.

Ainhoa Carballido-Risco

Professor, Researcher, and Director of the Master's in Tourism Business Management

PhD in Tourism from the University of Málaga, she has combined her academic training with extensive experience in tourism marketing and Smart Tourism. She is an expert in technologies applied to tourism, with a solid background in research and teaching. She is currently a professor in the field of Tourism Technologies and the Director of the Master's in Tourism Business Management at CETT-UB. Her research focuses on the impact of artificial intelligence on the tourism industry and its influence on people, as a member of the TURCiT research group.

As the Director of the CETT Smart Tourism Congress Barcelona, she leads one of the most influential events on the interaction between technology and tourism. Additionally, she drives R&D projects from CETT Living Labs, with a focus on sustainability and the digital transformation of the sector.

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Daniel Imbert-Bouchard

Director of the Tourism, Culture, and Territory Research Group (TURCiT).

Daniel Imbert-Bouchard Ribera holds a PhD in Geography, a degree in Tourism, and a Master's in Territorial Planning and Environmental Management from the University of Barcelona. He currently coordinates the Master's in Innovation of Tourism Management for Smart and Sustainable Destinations at CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, where he also works as a professor, editor of the ARA: Journal of Tourism Research, and serves as the director of the Tourism, Culture, and Territory Research Group (TURCiT). His main area of expertise is the mobility and territorial planning of destinations from a sustainability perspective.

Based on these lines of work, he has published several articles in international journals, books, and book chapters, and has also participated in various competitive and knowledge transfer projects.

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What do we offer?

Through collaboration with public entities, leading companies in the sector, experts and researchers, the Tourism Exploration Lab fosters experimentation, development and testing of innovation processes in key areas such as:

  • Disruptive technologies in tourism

    Explore the latest technological trends to transform the tourism experience.

  • Sustainability 

    We promote responsible and sustainable tourism, seeking solutions that minimize environmental and cultural impact while maximizing economic benefits for the industry.

  • Development of new tourism experiences

    We create unique experiences tailored to the needs, desires and expectations of different traveler profiles.

  • Market trend analysis

    We study tourist destinations and traveler behavior to develop strategies that help businesses adapt to change.

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Spaces for innovation and development

The Tourism Exploration Lab, along with the rest of the CETT Innovation Hub laboratories, has a set of spaces designed to foster collaboration and creativity in RD&I processes:

Collaborative spaces: Areas where multidisciplinary teams meet to co-create and develop new solutions.

Technological development and data analysis areas: Spaces equipped with the most advanced tools for prototyping and analysis of tourism data.

Innovation and creativity areas: Spaces dedicated to the generation of ideas through design and brainstorming techniques.

Exhibition and demonstration areas (physical and digital): Spaces to showcase and test the innovations developed in the Tourism Exploration Lab.

Projects

At CETT's Tourism Exploration Lab, innovation is not just a concept—it’s a reality! Our team of passionate researchers and professionals works to develop innovative solutions that transform the traveler experience and make tourism a more sustainable, responsible, and competitive sector.

Some of our previous projects include:

Targeting and Action Plan for the Barcelona Enotourism Brand

We designed a strategy to position Barcelona as a leader in enotourism, attracting tourists interested in wine culture.

“Saborea España” Gastronomic Tourism Map

We developed a gastronomic map to promote Spain’s rich culinary offerings and make it easier to find authentic gastronomic experiences.

Creative Industries Project

We explored how creative industries can boost tourism development by creating unique experiences that go beyond the conventional.

We are currently working on new projects shaping the future of tourism, such as:

Measuring the influence of AI on traveler purchasing decisions

  • The tourism metaverse: an accessible and inclusive alternative
  • Using AI for the collection and analysis of tourism data
  • Designing and developing sustainable tourism experiences
  • Indicator systems for Smart Destinations
  • Sustainable mobility: systems for responsible transport and mobility

Are you ready to collaborate with us?

At the Tourism Exploration Lab, we believe innovation is essential for a better tourism future. Through our projects, we aim to inspire the industry to adopt new technologies and strategies to enhance the traveler experience and build a more sustainable, responsible, and competitive sector.

Contact the Tourism Exploration Lab team, visit our lab and find out how we can work together to drive tomorrow's tourism.