On November 24th, the Center for Tourism Studies Research (CIETUR) at Rey Juan Carlos University presented its 2025 CIETUR Awards. These awards recognized the best undergraduate theses, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations related to tourism defended during the previous year at URJC. The event was attended by Miguel Cuerdo Mir, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration; Fernando Martínez Castillejo, Vice-Rector for Knowledge Transfer and Scientific-Technological Structures at URJC; Eva María Mora Valentín, Director of CIETUR; and Laura Fuentes Moraleda, Secretary of CIETUR.

This awards program aims to promote tourism research, foster critical and creative thinking among students, and recognize contributions that advance knowledge in the sector. The winners in the doctoral thesis category were: María del Pilar Pascual Fraile (first prize), Adolfo Ricardo Guzmán Guevara (second prize), and Mario Izquierdo Gascón (runner-up); in the TFM category: Raquel Coca (first prize); and in the TFG category: Sofia Blanco Moreno (first prize), Paula Calvellido Robles (Second prize) and Álvaro Martínez Fernández (second prize).

The prizes awarded were the following:

Doctoral Thesis Modality

First prize: María del Pilar Pascual Fraile Pascual Fraile: "Effects and impacts of crisis communication on the image of Spain as a touristic destination during the COVID-19 crisis and in the post-pandemic scenario."

Second prize: Adolfo Ricardo Guzmán Guevara: "Accessible Tourism: An explored market in the tourism industry of the province of Tungurahua (Ecuador)"

Second prize: Mario Izquierdo Gascón"Apitourism in the inland mountain ranges of Spain against depopulation for sustainable and regenerative development"

 Master's Thesis (TFM) modality

First prize: Raquel Coca"Chinese Cultural Tourism in the Royal Sites of the Community of Madrid"

Final Degree Project (TFG) modality:

First prize: Sofia Blanco Moreno"The specialized tourism press on social media. Analysis of engagement in X"

Second prize: Paula Calvellido Robles"Emerging leadership styles: effects of ethical leadership and responsible leadership"

Second prize: Álvaro Martínez Fernández : "Towards sustainable tourism destinations: addressing the current paradigm's vulnerabilities."