ANNUAL REPORT 2025
Sustainable blue tourism in the Bay of Santander
Collaborative technology transfer project developed by IHCantabria to provide solutions to technological challenges of sustainable blue tourism in the Bay of Santander. The project is carried out within the framework of the Complementary Plan for R+D+i in Marine Sciences (ThinkinAzul).
1. CHALLENGE
The CSL project identifies critical challenges in the field of sustainable blue tourism, including the lack of integrated physical-environmental information on variables such as currents, tides and salinity, as well as the need for high-resolution prediction models. Digital tools are also required to optimize safety while facing extreme weather events and improve the tourist experience through real-time data on beach occupancy.
On the other hand, there is little connection between end users, companies and research centers, which limits the application of the “Quadruple Helix” in the co-creation of solutions. This situation aggravates the difficulty of transforming scientific knowledge into commercial solutions, an obstacle known as the “Death Valley”, caused by uncertainty and lack of investment in the initial phases of technological development.
2. SOLUTION
The proposal is based on a model of open innovation and cross-sector collaboration that turns the Bay of Santander into a Living Lab. In this real environment, disruptive technologies and new models of relationship between academy and business are tested, specifically oriented to coastal management and sustainable tourism experience.
The solution is the Open Innovation Lab (OIL), which is developing six Proofs of Concept (PoC) to address specific technological challenges: a beach occupancy indicator app, invasive algae monitoring systems, water quality sensors, coastal flood warning platforms, digitization of underwater heritage and a diving app as well as digital plans for port pollution emergencies.
3. RESULTS
The CSL has been consolidated as a technology transfer pilot project. Its main methodological milestone has been the definition of a roadmap for technology transfer that links Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) with Commercial Readiness Level (CRL) and Business Readiness Level (BRL), allowing to test collaborative business models between IHCantabria and technology companies.
Proofs of concept oriented to real needs have been successfully developed, aligning the region with the strategy of Cantabria as a Smart Tourism Destination. In addition, a community of blue tourism actors has been consolidated and commercialization routes for emerging technologies have been designed. The CSL is thus established as a replicable model for coastal innovation ecosystems, providing key evidence to improve the governance of the blue economy and digitalization and sustainability policies.
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