DTI methodology and technological innovation focus the TFG and TFM awards of Pedro Zaragoza Orts Chair

The Chair of Tourism Studies "Pedro Zaragoza Orts" has delivered this morning its Awards for the best Final Degree Projects and Final Master's Projects (TFG and TFM) developed by researchers from the University of Alicante, always related to the tourism sector and focused on Benidorm and the Costa Blanca.

At the award ceremony, in the Rectorate Building, the institutions have been present. Organizations and associations that participate in the “Pedro Zaragoza Orts” Chair in Tourism Studies: such as Benidorm City Council, the University of Alicante, the Valencian Tourism Agency, the Provincial Council and Hosbec. The rector of the UA, Amparo Navarro and the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, has presided over the act that has been attended by the general director of Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana, Herick Campos, the president of the Costa Blanca Tourist Board, José Mancebo, the General Secretary of HOSBEC, Nuria Montes, the managing director of Visit Benidorm, Leire Bilbao, and the director of the Chair, Armando Ortuño, who has announced the call for an open prize for the national and international projection of the research promoted by the chair

For his part, the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, has pointed out "Benidorm's permanent vocation to learn, analyze and investigate" in the world of Tourism to be always at the forefront under the premise of "continuing to be a great tourist destination" and given "the reality of leadership by capacity, acceptance and contribution to the GDP of the Valencian Community".

Pérez recalled that "we have had very difficult times" and the need to "draw lessons from all of this process that has been experienced" where "the strength of a large sector" has been evidenced. Insist that "the model has never been questioned" and that mobility and closeness in dealings have been the great affection for tourism. Continuing to stimulate destinations should be the objective, he said, while congratulating the winners, acknowledging the research work of the Chair and the training of the University, thanking "the transfer of knowledge that it contributes".

Finally, he said about the figure of Pedro Zaragoza that he "innovated like no one else" to achieve, with everyone, to "build a great destination that never stops offering happiness."

Awards
The work by José Verdú Marín, Master's Degree in Tourism Management and Planning, entitled "Adaptation of the methodology of Smart Tourist Destinations of the Valencian Community to the provincial level. The case of Costa Blanca” has won the first prize in the TFM category, while “Innovation and Technology in Hotel Companies” by the Tourism Degree researcher Valeria Valentina Roas has obtained it in the TTG category.

The second prize of the TFG has gone to a work on "Rural Tourism in Spain", by Aitana García Berenguer, from the Degree in Business Administration and Management and the third prize, ex equal, for "Design and Development of an Application for the promotion of Gastronomic Routes”, by Javier Alted Navarro, from the Degree in Multimedia Engineering; and for "Camper and motorhome tourism on the Costa Blanca", by María Asunción Mira Pastor, from the Degree in Tourism.

In TFM, the second prize has corresponded to the work entitled “Unification system on Alicante heritage information using the augmented reality technique. ALACANTURÍZATE", by María Cortadellas Biosca, from the Master's Degree in Cultural Tourism, and the third prize for research on "The value contribution of DMOs to the agents of a destination. Analysis of the Alicante Municipal Tourism and Beach Board", by Teresa del Pilar Rodríguez Garrido, from the Master's Degree in Tourism Management and Planning

Chair of Tourism Studies
The "Pedro Zaragoza Orts" Chair of Tourism Studies aims to analyze, research and teach the reality, problems and perspectives of companies and tourist destinations in general, from all relevant points of view and developing training programs and research tasks that contribute to improving training and knowledge in Tourism issues.

Its program of activities includes the organization of courses and seminars related to tourism issues, with special attention to the area of ​​the Costa Blanca and Benidorm, as well as conferences and exhibitions on tourism, together with studies and research works.