IHCantabria’s ‘Cantabria Smart Litoral’ project analyzed technological challenges associated with beach activities and environmental issues
Researchers from IHCantabria, the University of Cantabria and companies representatives who participated in the CSL project meeting, under the coordination of IHCantabria’s Director of Technology Transfer, Francisco Royano (located in second position, on the left)
This project promotes sustainable blue tourism in Cantabria, through innovation and digitalization, to improve the tourist experience and intersectoral collaboration, as well as environmental, economic and cultural sustainability
Within the framework of its Marine Sciences Program (PCM), the Environmental Hydraulics Institute of the University of Cantabria (IHCantabria) organized, on July 18, a meeting related to the “Cantabria Smart Litoral” (CSL) project, in which researchers from this institution and some departments of the Universidad de Cantabria (UC) analyzed different technological challenges associated with activities carried out on the beaches and environmental aspects.
The challenges addressed include marine pollution alerts, analysis of the degree of occupation of beaches, the presence of algae and jellyfish, water quality and forecasts for lifeguards and lifeguards. Focused on the Bay of Santander, these challenges arose from collaboration with a network of public and private agents involved in these blue tourism activities. This made it possible to identify those needs, problems and opportunities that can be solved or taken advantage of by means of physical-environmental data (water temperature, salinity, currents, tides, among others).
The objective of the CSL project is to promote innovation in the blue tourism sector in Cantabria, through the development of a digital platform for information management and marketing of sustainable blue tourism resources and products. As part of IHCantabria’s PCM, this project is part of the Complementary Plan for R&D&I in Marine Sciences, ThinkInAzul, which is funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Valencian Community, Galicia and the Region of Murcia. In the case of PCM of IHCantabria, the regional contribution comes from the Government of Cantabria.
Representatives of several companies and startups from Cantabria were invited to last Thursday’s meeting to analyze different technological solutions that respond to the selected challenges and that could generate marketable software.
Execution of the CSL project began in April 2023 and will be completed by the end of March 2025. It is coordinated by Francisco Royano, Director of Technology Transfer at IHCantabria.
From an economic point of view, “the CSL project will promote innovation and entrepreneurship in Cantabria, generating business opportunities and growth in the sustainable blue tourism sector”, says Francisco Royano, who considers that this project “is highly exportable”, as it can serve as a model for other coastal tourist destinations, both nationally and internationally.
“The development of the CSL project is a crucial step to transform Cantabria into a benchmark for sustainable blue tourism, because it promotes collaboration between the different stakeholders, the protection of the marine environment and the economic growth of the region,” says Francisco Royano.
Therefore, this project constitutes a benchmark in the integrated management of information and in the commercialization of sustainable blue tourism resources and products, which is aligned with the vision of transforming Cantabria into a “Smart Tourism Destination”.
More information on the CSL project, through this link.
