The tourist competitiveness of Visit Benidorm and sustainability and revitalization studies, awards from Pedro Zaragoza Orts Chair

The Chair of Tourism Studies "Pedro Zaragoza Orts" 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 and others in the Spanish State related to the tourism sector, its issues, and possibilities.

At the award ceremony, in the Rectorate Building, the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, highlighted in his speech, given the content of the awarded works, that "Benidorm began a process almost seven decades ago that is being recognized and outstanding in scientific research work on tourism”.

Pérez welcomed the example of Visit Benidorm, pointed out the importance of alliances to achieve the objectives and pointed out the "tractor effect of tourism" in revitalization, and recalled the figure of the former mayor of Benidorm and who gives his name to the chair of Tourism Studies of the University of Alicante, framing this act in the Pedro Zaragoza Orts Year, on the centenary of his birth.

Taking into account that there have been seven awarded works and seven authors of the same. Toni Pérez highlighted the work of the female researcher and her specific point of view on the topics covered, pointing out that Benidorm always learns from the Academy and reiterating the commitment to the work, research, subject matter, and functionality of the chair.

Esther Algarra, General Secretary of the University of Alicante, pointed out the contribution and commitment of Benidorm City Council to the Academy and that it is a benchmark in tourism research. Algarra congratulated the awarded researchers, as did the General Director of Tourism, Herick Campos, and the General Secretary of Hosbec, Nuria Montes, in their closing remarks.

Awards

The first prize in the category of work not carried out at the University of Alicante went to the work "Measuring Sustainability in the tourism sector: the case of the Valencian Community", authored by María Mifsud, from the Masters in International Economics of the Complutense of Madrid.
In the Final Degree Project (TFG) category, the awards went to Claudia López Salcedo, from the UA double degree in Tourism and Administration, for "Workation: new forms of Tourism"; Marta Guzmán Lechón; of the Degree of Tourism of the UA, for “La Vall de Seta. Tourism revitalization against depopulation”; and Sara García Amoros, Degree in Fundamentals of Architecture from the UA, for “Architecture, Media, and Tourism: the Utopian imaginary of the Red Wall.

In the Master's Thesis category, the winners were María Julia Rey for her analysis of "Actions to increase competitiveness: the case of Visit Benidorm"; and Cristina de la Nuez Urbíz, for “Study of archeology tourism in Gran Canaria”.

The director of the chair, Professor Armando Ortuño, highlighted the directions of the work carried out by UA professors Maria Paz Such, Diego Francisco Quer, Asunción Díaz, Isabel Sancho and Patricia Zaragoza-Sáez.

Chair of Tourism Studies

The purpose of the "Pedro Zaragoza Orts" Chair of Tourism Studies is to analyze, research, and teach the reality, problems, and perspectives of companies and tourist destinations in general, from all relevant points of view, taking care of developing the program training and research tasks that contribute to improving training and knowledge in this area.

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 tourist activity, together with studies and research work.