BeCiTi begins its journey: Benidorm's tourism innovation hub

Benidorm Innovation Hub, a pioneering smart tourism innovation centre created with the aim of driving the transformation of the sector through sustainability, technology, and collaborative intelligence, has begun its journey. This was announced today by the Mayor, Toni Pérez, at a press conference in which he also presented the graphic image of BeCiTi, the hub's name, which corresponds to Benidorm Smart Tourism Innovation Centre.

Toni Pérez recalled that "when Benidorm set the goal of becoming the world's first certified smart tourism destination," a milestone achieved at the end of 2018, "a roadmap was designed for each of the pillars on which this model pivots," with the creation of this hub being key in the innovation department. A center that "is already taking its first steps and is fully aligned with the national Smart Destination Platform (PID) project, promoted by Segittur and which will be based in Benidorm, and also with the Open Innovation Platform (PIA), proposed by this same state agency and which will also be housed in our city."

The BeCiTi project is included in the "Benidorm DTI + Seguro" Tourism Sustainability Plan and has been developed in collaboration with Bosonit, a technology consultancy specialising in Data and Advanced Analytics, and one of the leading companies in the implementation of solutions based on generative artificial intelligence.

According to the mayor, the hub will be headquartered in the El Torrejó municipal centre, whose facilities will be adapted to house this innovation centre.

In fact, "last week, the Local Government Board approved the adaptation works, which will be phased to minimise interference with the activities of the services and organisations it houses." The project has a budget of nearly €300,000, which also includes assistance in defining and launching the hub and a year of service.

Toni Pérez explained that BeCiTi is "a focal point for attracting talent, development, innovation, and competitiveness." Broadly speaking, it is a space open to startups, companies, institutions, and citizens, which embraces open innovation as a driver of change, generating ideas, validating technological solutions, and building a more competitive and resilient tourism industry. In short, it is "a meeting point for debate and collaborative work for all stakeholders who have something to say and, above all, something to contribute, and which makes Benidorm the epicentre of tourism innovation in the Mediterranean."

The mayor stated that "the goal we set for the project is to accelerate the transition toward sustainability in its three dimensions—environmental, economic, and social—by connecting talent, technology, and the region, through the promotion of open innovation to transform local challenges into global solutions."

He also added that "obviously, the goal is for the technological solutions and developments" emerging from BeCiTi, or "at least as many of them as possible, to be tested and implemented in the city."

BeCiTi Operation

BeCiTi organises its activities around a multi-sector innovation network comprised of public and private stakeholders, from leading corporations and administrations to universities and technology centres. Its methodology is based on innovation cycles focused on five strategic challenges: energy sustainability, water sustainability, sustainable mobility, hotel processes, and tourism data management.

Each cycle promotes the co-creation of solutions through working groups, ideation sessions, and open calls for technology startups and SMEs, culminating in proofs of concept in real-world environments with the support of mentors and experts.

BeCiTi will provide collaborative spaces, training programs, strategic events, and access to funding. This is not a conventional accelerator: BeCiTi is a dynamic engine that offers visibility, networking, and direct validation of solutions, but with real potential for scaling.

BeCiTi is not only an innovation hub, but also "a brand that represents Benidorm's commitment to a smarter, more sustainable, and collaborative tourism model," said Pérez. It's a platform for building partnerships (SDG 17), fostering talent, and addressing the major challenges of the tourism sector from a shared perspective.

With this initiative, Benidorm consolidates its position as a national and international benchmark in tourism innovation, opening the doors to a new future where tourism and innovation go hand in hand.

Path to reach the hub

As the mayor explained during his appearance, Benidorm did not arrive at this Innovation Hub "by chance or accident, but rather its implementation is the logical consequence of a tourism management policy based on intelligence and data sharing." "For years," he continued, "in Benidorm we have known the benefits that data sharing brings to planning and management. We have been doing this for some time with the hotel association Hosbec, the water concessionaire Hidraqua, and other companies or organisations."

During this time, "Benidorm has been and continues to be a great laboratory where major innovation-related projects have been developed, such as the project for airspace management for the use of drones; to ensure accessibility for people with visual impairments; to understand the flow and influx of people to the beaches; to organize the beaches during the health situation imposed by Covid; or the one that has allowed us to obtain environmental indicators. And the private sector, the hotel sector, for example, has also opted for innovation to grow in quality and efficiency with projects like the Technology Room."

"And now this hub, BeCiTi, is here to reorganise and drive new challenges." Pérez concluded by stating that, with its launch, "we are once again becoming the epicentre of tourism innovation for the entire Mediterranean and also for Europe."

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About Bosonit

Bosonit is a technology consulting firm specializing in data and advanced analytics, and one of the leading companies in the implementation of solutions based on generative artificial intelligence. It helps companies and institutions transform and innovate with disruptive methodologies, tools, and technology. Bosonit focuses on R&D, collaboration, and innovation as the driving forces behind all its projects, generating impact and maintaining a focus on the user. At BeCiTi, Bosonit will contribute its extensive experience in project management, energising open innovation ecosystems, and fostering collaboration around key technological challenges.