FU-TOURISM brings together leaders and SMEs in Málaga today to drive the green transition of tourism
The event, taking place at Greencities 2026, will address tourism governance, European recommendations, and business solutions in artificial intelligence, IoT, and sustainable mobility.
The Mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, will participate at 4:00 PM in the institutional opening of the conference in Multipurpose Room 3 at FYCMA.
The program includes a dialogue on tourism governance, the presentation of the FU-TOURISM Recommendation Paper, and business case studies in artificial intelligence, IoT, digitalization, and sustainable mobility.
The conference will conclude with the presentation of the Top 100 Innovators awards by Red Business Market in the sustainable tourism category, as well as the launch of the international call FU-TOURISM LATAM Startup Europe Awards by Montería.
MÁLAGA, September 15, 2026 — As part of the seventh edition of Greencities, Urban Intelligence and Sustainability, held at the Trade Fair and Congress Center of Málaga (FYCMA), the European project FU-TOURISM (Exchange of experiences in green and digital transition for tourism SMEs) is hosting its official event today, Tuesday, September 15, starting at 4:00 PM, dedicated to the green and digital transition of the tourism sector.
Co-funded by the European Union under the Single Market Programme (SMP-COSME) and led by the Finnova Foundation alongside an international consortium from six countries—Spain, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Belgium, and Poland—the initiative works to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of European tourism SMEs through support mechanisms and Living Labs networks.
Institutional Opening and Tourism Governance
The official opening of the event, scheduled for 4:00 PM in Multipurpose Room 3, will feature Francisco de la Torre Prados, Mayor of Málaga, who will address the city’s strategic vision for urban sustainability, innovation, and the role of smart cities in the future of tourism.
At 4:10 PM, Fireside Chat I — Exchange of Experiences in Europe’s Tourism Ecosystem will begin, featuring a panel dialogue on the green and digital transformation challenges facing the sector:
M.ª Ángeles Ruiz, Head of the S4 Andalusia Office at the TRADE Business Agency (Junta de Andalucía).
Ricardo Manuel Fernández de la Cruz, Head of the Tourism Service at Málaga City Council.
Pedro Barrionuevo Gener, Director of Tourism and Business Development at Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol.
Javier Melero, Board Member of Smart City Cluster representing Aumentur.
Transnational Cooperation and Solutions for SMEs
At 4:40 PM, the transnational panel will highlight the European dimension of FU-TOURISM. Michail Mandamadiotis (Senior Project Manager at Envolve Entrepreneurship, Greece) and Juan Manuel Revuelta Pérez (CEO of the Finnova Foundation) will present the project’s Recommendation Paper.
The document outlines key recommendations for public administrations and tourism companies to advance toward more sustainable, digital, and resilient business models, built on insights from the FU-TOURISM transnational network.
At 5:00 PM, the session Storytelling | The Challenge of the Green and Digital Transition for SMEs will highlight companies developing and applying tech solutions in tourism. Speakers include:
Andrés Martínez Vidal, CEO and Co-founder of iUrban
Enrique Lara Gómez, CEO of OK Located
Nacho Muñoz Vázquez, CEO and Founding Partner of i-colectiva
Miguel Ángel Del Pino, CEO and Co-founder of TECO Mobility
The session will cover practical applications of artificial intelligence, IoT, digitalization, and sustainable mobility, focusing on the real-world challenges SMEs face when adopting new technologies.
Tourism Leadership Recognitions and International Expansion
The event will conclude at 5:25 PM with an awards ceremony organized by Red Business Market in the sustainable tourism category, hosted by Rocío Valdivielso and presented by CEO Josu Gómez Navajas.
Honorees include:
Juan Manuel Revuelta Pérez, CEO of Finnova Foundation, for developing the NextTourism Generation line and the FU-TOURISM project.
Mario Andrés Solano Badilla, Board Member of Selvatura Park (Costa Rica), for his innovation model in sustainable tourism and environmental conservation.
Hugo Fernando Kerguelén García, Mayor of Montería (Colombia), for his water purification project supporting the local nature, birdwatching, and hiking tourism park.
To wrap up the event, the Mayor of Montería will officially launch the FU-TOURISM LATAM Startup Europe Awards by Montería, expanding the international scope of FU-TOURISM and bridging European and Latin American tourism innovation ecosystems.
Practical Event Information
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM CEST
Location: FYCMA, Málaga | Multipurpose Room 3
Format: In-person and live streaming
Stand: FU-TOURISM will also be present at Stand P20 (Finnova Foundation) throughout Greencities 2026.
About FU-TOURISM FU-TOURISM (Grant Agreement 101121573) is funded by the European Commission’s Single Market Programme (SMP-COSME). Designed to support tourism SMEs in their green and digital transition, the project brings together partners from Spain, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Belgium, and Poland.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this press release are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA).
