The University Institute for Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development (TIDES)

The University Institute of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development (TIDES) is a research institute that aims to develop outstanding tourism research, generating and circulating scientific knowledge, and integrating itself into international tourism networks of excellence. In addition, it provides education, training and raises awareness to improve the development of tourism. Finally, it applies the knowledge generated to promote the improvement of economic, social and environmental tourism development in tourist destinations.

TIDES, as the institute responsible for research in tourism at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), has contributed to the fact that it occupies a fourth place as a research centre for scientific productivity in tourism in Europe, second worldwide, shared with other institutions, in scientific productivity in marketing and management of destinations, fourth worldwide in scientific productivity in research on image and brand, and first in Latin America in scientific productivity in hospitality. Likewise, the data of the prestigious ranking of Shanghai (ARWU), confirm the outstanding role of the ULPGC, occupying first position in the European Union in research on Hospitality & Tourism Management and placing it among the 23 best centres in the world in the field of Tourism.

Two main innovation services are provided by this centre: 

1. A climate service, materialised in an online platform entitled ¨Regional Exchange Information System-REIS¨. REIS platform aims to assist policy makers and practitioners in the design of tailored climate change adaptation strategies.

The platform offers two main services: 

-An experts panel composed by a multidisciplinary group of scientists and policy makers with great experience in the analysis of climate change impacts for the context of islands. The panel provides assistance and advisory  in support downscaled climate change forecasts (regions, islands) and the subsequent socio-economic impacts on sectoral activities through a well personalized networking area. 

- The Adaptation Support Tool for Islands is a practical guidance to understand  Climate Change impacts for the context of European Islands and Outermost Regions. It provides specific knowledge in regard to physical impacts, non-market and socio-economic consequences of climate change for the 12 EU islands case studies. Alternative viable adaptation pathways that can be implemented in these islands are also proposed n the tool, which are framed by the geographic, economic and social context of each island analysed. It works as a compass where we choose three coordinates following this order:  1.Archipelago/Island, 2. Sector and 3. Hazard.

2. A Digital lab for analyzing emotions and social behaviour applying neuromarketing techniques. This service employs  Electric Methods to Measure the Activity in the Brain  (eye tracking, biological responses, EEG, virtual and augmented reality..) to better underestand social behaviour. It can be employed in a wide range of analyses to support the improvement of the well-being of tourists, business, the environment and the society.

It includes an EMOFOODLab  to understand the influence of gastronomy on tourists' emotions, on their experience at the destination, and in the post-trip phase. The centre, in addition to monitoring these aspects, also designs products and experiences around gastronomy and the use of this as a vehicle to enhance the identity of destinations, as well as to better integrate them into the value chain. Nevertheless the application can be extended to other sectoral activities such as shoppping and commerce, public and health services, museums, etc.