The Science and Technology Park of Tourism and Leisure in Vila-seca (PCT)
The Science and Technology Park of Tourism and Leisure is dedicated to research and the transfer of knowledge to companies in the tourism and leisure sector in order to enhance their competitiveness. It is located in a Vila-seca, near the URV's School of Tourism, forming a cluster dedicated to knowledge and innovation in the field of tourism. It is a knowledge centre of international renown in an ideal setting for investment in R&D&I in tourism.
The park provides support for public and private stakeholders in the tourism sector and meets the industry's need for knowledge to enable it to develop. It focuses and channels research and disseminates new knowledge in the field and promotes new lines of research undertaken by URV research groups.
Innovation
Three innovation-focused units work in the park:
- The Consortium for Improving Competitiveness in Tourism and Leisure in the Province of Tarragona, co-financed by the 2007-2010 FEDER programme
- The Costa Daurada Foundation of Tourism Studies, promotor of the Costa Daurada Tourism Observatory
- The Technology Transfer Unit of the park itself devoted to knowledge and technology transfer activities
The park also houses a business incubator for companies and organizations in the sector, spin-offs, technology-based companies and other entities, and includes space for the associations which are part of the Hotel and Catering Business Federation of the Province of Tarragona.
Research programmes
PCTTO researchers are responsible for pioneering projects to foster innovation in the sector.
- The Tracking programme to analyze visitors' movements through geomonitoring.
- The SigTur programme, a smart information system which selects resources in geotracked destinations and recommends them to visitors in accordance with the preferences expressed by other tourists.
- The Producte programme, bringing together different projects for action in the fields of wine tourism and cultural tourism and enhancing visitor management in rural areas.
- The Think Tank programme, a laboratory of ideas which prepares information on the tourism and leisure sector and develops indicators for comparing tourist destinations.
PCTTO was established by Rovira i Virgili University, the Vila-seca town council and the Hotel and Catering Business Federation of the Province of Tarragona, and is an excellent example of cooperation between university, public administrations and the business world.