Seminar: “Tourism congestion and insularity in the EU: shared challenges and solutions”

The UIB-GOIB Chair of Insularity is organizing this seminar to foster debate and the exchange of experiences among European island territories affected by tourism congestion. The provisional programme includes contributions from researchers, institutional representatives and tourism professionals from regions such as the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Sardinia, Santorini and the Azores; it will include 7 conferences and one round table.

The presentations will address key issues such as carrying capacity, the territorial and environmental impacts of tourism, digitalisation and local governance in the face of insular challenges.

Program of the day:

• 9:00-9:15 | Welcome and Opening
  • Dr. Víctor Homar Santaner, Vice-Rector for Scientific Policy and Research, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB)
  • Dr. Maurici Ruiz, Professor of Geography and Co-Director of the UIB-GOIB Chair of Insularity
  • Mr. Antoni Costa, Vice President and Minister of Economy, Finance and Innovation, Government of the Balearic Islands
• 9:15–9:45 | Presentation 1 – «Limitaciones territoriales y medioambientales al turismo: capacidad de carga y capacidad de acogida» (Territorial and Environmental Limitations on Tourism: Carrying Capacity and Hosting Capacity). Presented by Dr. Felio José Bauzá, Professor of Public Law, University of the Balearic Islands
• 9:45–10:15 | Presentation 2 – «La gestión del sobreturismo en las islas de Europa: retos y soluciones emergentes» (Managing Overtourism on Europe's Islands: Emerging Challenges and Solutions). Presented by Ms. Isabel Vera, President, Founder and Director of the "Islas del Mar" project
• 10:15–10:45 | Presentation 3 – «A Methodological Framework for Assessing Overtourism in Insular Territories — Case Study of Santorini Island, Greece». Presented by Dr. Anastasia Stratigea, Professor of Geography and Regional Planning, National Technical University of Athens, and Dr. Apostolos Lagarias, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly. Online participation via videoconference.
• 10:45–11:15 | Coffee Break
• 11:15–11:45 | Presentation 4 – «La Palma Smart Island: innovación tecnológica frente a los desafíos de la sostenibilidad insular» (Technological innovation in the face of the challenges of island sustainability). Delivered by Mr. Juan Antonio Bermejo Dominguez, GIS Technician at the Digital Transformation Service, Cabildo de La Palma. Connection via videoconference.
• 11:45–12:15 | Presentation 5 – «Unbalanced tourism y digitalización» (Unbalanced Tourism and Digitalization). Presented by Dr. Dolores Ordóñez, Director of Anysolution and PhD in Tourism Data Spaces.
• 12:15–12:45 | Presentation 6 – «Citizen Science and Local Engagement: Habitability as a Tool for Sustainable Island Communities». Presented by Ms. Erika Englund, Executive Director of The National Association of Finnish Islands (FOSS).
• 12:45–13:15 | Presentation 7 – «Límites, equilibrios, complejidad: análisis sistémico de la capacidad de carga turística en destinos insulares» (Limits, Balance, Complexity: A Systems Analysis of Tourism Carrying Capacity in Island Destinations). Presented by Dr. Carmelo León González, Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Director of the UNESCO Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Development.
• 13:15–14:00 | Round Table and Discussion
  • Moderator: Dr. Vicente Ramos, Professor of Applied Economics, UIB
  • Panelists:
    • Mr. José Marcial Rodríguez, Executive Councillor for Tourism, Consell de Mallorca
    • Ms. Catalina Barceló, Director General of Economy and Statistics, Government of the Balearic Islands
    • Mr. Mariano Juan, Councillor for Territory, Tourism Planning, Mobility, Road Infrastructure and Anti-Intrusion, Consell d'Eivissa
    • Dr. Macià Blázquez Salom, Professor of Geography, University of the Balearic Islands

● 14:00 | Closing Session