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In the vibrant world of technology applied to the tourism sector, clusters play a fundamental role in the drive and innovation of the companies that integrate them, thanks to the mutual collaboration between their members, driving development and competitiveness in the our sector, in a changing environment where technology is undoubtedly a key factor in success and competitiveness.

In this series of interviews, we will explore the synergy between technological companies in the tourism field and their membership in the recently created Tech Tourism Cluster, which is established as a driving force for boosting the competitiveness of companies to develop its strategic axes through the dissemination of knowledge in innovation, support for the internationalization of companies, the development of a future hybrid talent between technology and tourism, the commitment to the sustainable development of the sector and the support in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the territory.

On this occasion we were able to talk with Albert Pérez Llanos and Gian Franco Mercado, founders of Hospitalidad Emprenderora, tourism and hospitality professionals, passionate explorers of various aspects of innovation in our sector.

Gian Franco is co-founder of the company Sweet Accommodations, which currently operates tourist apartments and co-living in Barcelona, ​​a hostel and a small hotel in Seville and Lloret de Mar, and Albert is passionate about hospitality, with more than 15 years of experience experience in hotels, and twice around the world on the back!

Hospitalidad Emprenderora is one of the more than 70 members of the Tech Tourism Cluster, can you please tell us briefly about the main elements of your organization?


Hospitalidad Emprenderora, founded by Gian Franco Mercado and Albert Pérez Llanos in May 2020, is an initiative born in the midst of a pandemic in order to promote personal and professional development in tourism through an innovative podcast. That's why we interviewed sector leaders in different areas who contributed and shared their learning and advice in various fields, directly or indirectly related to tourism.

The podcast grew with us, reflecting the curiosity and restlessness about the topics that most attracted us, topics that revolved around tourism innovation and new technologies.

At the beginning of 2021 we delved into Blockchain technology and Web3 and realized that the future of the internet is going in this direction and that the impact it will have on all of society (including the tourism sector obviously) will be tremendous and comparable to and all to the adoption of the internet at the end of the 90s.

At that time we decided to pivot our content and focus on spreading, divulging and educating about the evolution of the internet towards Web3 and how it will impact the tourism sector. Inviting our audience to take advantage to stay relevant in this new scenario, both personally and professionally.

Our work currently focuses on three key areas:

-Diffusion: we create content to spread the word about innovative projects, news, advice, learning... we continue to do so on podcast (fortnightly), and through a weekly newsletter, collaborating with articles in the media, participating in round tables and events , giving talks, etc...

-Education: we create the first introductory course in Spanish to Blockchain and Web3 for tourism professionals. More than 60 professionals participated in the different editions.

On the other hand, we have created the subject of AI in Tourism at the CETT-UB where we also teach other subjects, and we participate and collaborate with other universities and training centers to be able to bring knowledge about tourism innovation and new technologies to the new generations so that they are professionals adapted to the new times. We are also teachers at TurisTeach and we teach personalized workshops so that any active professional can stay relevant in the face of the changes that are coming.

-Consultancy: it is the most recent area of ​​Hospitality Entrepreneurship, where we combine our experience in the tourism sector with our knowledge in innovation and Web3 to help hotels and tourism companies adopt new solutions to make their work more efficient, attract new generations, stay competitive and generate more revenue.

How is your participation in this tourism technology cluster contributing to the improvement of innovation and development of your company or organization?


For a project as young as ours, which is in an initial phase, when we talk about consulting, being able to participate hand in hand with large technological companies and key players in the tourism sector is a real accelerator.

It allows us to closely understand the needs and concerns of these companies and to analyze how we can contribute and in what way we can contribute, in order to shape and adapt the services we offer to real solutions within the market.

In the context of this Cluster, what collaboration and networking opportunities have already presented themselves for your company or organization in terms of new projects or strategic alliances?


We participate from the beginning in the formation of the Blockchain and Web3 working group of the Cluster, where we are exchanging innovative and relevant ideas and proposals, which will surely have a long-term journey. Being part of this work table is opening doors for us and allowing the rest of the organizations to understand more and better how we can contribute.

This has allowed a couple of companies to approach us for our consulting services, from helping them improve a particular procedure or deciding which tools or solutions to incorporate into their current workflow to jointly devising a strategy integral innovation in your company.

A key synergy that has also emerged with Bookline, a conversational AI project that closely aligns with the kind of solutions and tools we promote and disseminate and where we found a lot of common ground to collaborate on. In fact, at the next Fitur, we have prepared a series of mini-interviews on innovation and AI between Hospitalidad Emprenderora and Bookline that will take place at this company's stand.

How has the exchange of knowledge and experiences between member companies influenced the creation and adoption of more advanced technological solutions in the tourism industry or initial proposals in this area?


Sharing knowledge with other members gives us a global and detailed perspective of the sector, enriching our approach and adapting our solutions to current needs.

Due to our hotel background, we focus a lot on accommodation and hotels, as this is where we feel strong and have expertise. Being able to learn first-hand from the rest of the organizations within the tourism sector allows us to have other approaches and thus achieve a holistic vision that makes us improve and adapt our services and solutions.

Regarding the creation of new technological solutions, we are convinced that value propositions with a long history will emerge from the work table of Blockchain and Web3. We are still in an initial phase and cannot reveal much, but we are sure that thanks to the exchange of knowledge in this field, useful and innovative solutions will emerge.

From the perspective of the Cluster, what is your company or organization's main contribution to the tourism technology ecosystem and promoting the growth of other member companies and the cluster itself?


We focus on our dissemination work to promote the growth of the Cluster and its members. Thanks to our communication channels (podcast, newsletter, social networks...) we promote and disseminate actions carried out by the Cluster, we publicize projects and innovative solutions of other members, etc... We make available to the Cluster our media reach for contribute to the growth of the organization and its members.

In this sense, at the next edition of Fitur, we will be holding several round tables and interviews from the Tech Tourism Cluster stand to give visibility to some of its members and how they are innovating in their organizations.