The event, entitled “Sálate: tourism, science and sustainability”, brought together 60 people, including students, researchers, tourism professionals and institutional representatives, who today participated in the Conference and Workshop “Saline agroecosystem in 5-helix innovation”, held at the University School of Tourism of Lanzarote (ULPGC) and at the Janubio Salt Flats.
The meeting, organised by the Circular Economy Network in the Islands (RECIS) in collaboration with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Systems (ACIISI), aims to connect society, businesses, culture, agronomy, tourism, gastronomy, art and research to promote innovation and social impact in the agri-food value chain of the Canary Islands Salt Flats, declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC).
During the opening ceremony, Eva Crespo, director of the University School of Tourism, Javier Franco, director of the ACIISI, and Lidia Robaina, professor in the biology department at the ULPGC and researcher at the Aquaculture Research Group (GIA) at the ECOAQUA Institute, highlighted the role of salt flats as ‘living spaces that unite science, culture, landscape and sustainability’.
Group photo of participants at the conference held in Lanzarote, including researchers from the ECOAQUA Institute such as its director, Ricardo Haroun, José Juan Castro, May Gómez and Lidia Robaina.
The programme combined scientific presentations and working groups focusing on marine and brackish water biodiversity, health and well-being, regenerative tourism and sustainable local development.
Speakers included experts from the ULPGC in the fields of biology, technology, tourism and health, such as researchers Ricardo Haroun, director of ECOAQUA, José Juan Castro, from ECOAQUA's Biodiversity and Conservation (BIOCON) group, May Gómez, deputy director of ECOAQUA and director of the Ecophysiology of Marine Organism (EOMAR) group at this university institute, as well as Juan L. Gómez Pinchetti, María José Costa, Cristina Ruano, Rogelio Jorge Martín and Luis Mazorra. Representatives from the tourism sector also participated, including Carlos Padrón from Salinas de Janubio and Alicia Ramos from the Lanzarote Tourism Federation.
The day ended with a scientific-tourist visit to the Janubio Salt Flats, under the slogan “Sálate: feel your island through salt and BICs”, in which participants were able to learn about the environmental, cultural and economic importance of these spaces in situ.
Image of Las Salinas del Janubio, in Lanzarote.
According to Lidia Robaina, ‘these types of meetings allow us to move towards a model of blue and regenerative tourism, where natural and cultural heritage becomes a driver of innovation, employment and sustainability’.
The conference is part of a series of meetings on the blue, circular and regenerative economy that will continue on 25 November in Fuerteventura, with the same focus on cooperation between science, business and citizens.