The winning research work, carried out jointly with two other professors, Doctor María Luisa Fanjul from ESERP and Doctor Alejandro Barceló from IEA, focuses on cultural tourism in Spain, especially in the Community of Madrid, carrying out "an analysis of tourism during the pandemic and the possible actions to be carried out based on the gradual lifting of restrictions. In our opinion, local tourism, innovation and ICT are key to reactivating this sector."

According to María Cristina Fernández-Laso, the tourist activities that have been most affected by this crisis have been travel agencies, event organization companies and hotels, since the most relevant tourism in the community is MICE tourism and , to a lesser extent, cultural tourism, which causes the paralysis of all the companies related to it.

Consequently, the research proposes to "generate a new model of tourism focused on local tourists, where innovation and ICT are key to reactivating tourism, and to promote heritage education." Therefore, "it should influence the reorientation or opening towards a new tourist profile, with the creation of specific products adapted to this profile and this new reality."

In the opinion of the winner of this award, "the actions must be carried out by political actors and leaders in the tourism sector. The Together 2020 Program of the Community of Madrid, the travel vouchers of the Valencian Community or the hotel voucher of the Basque Country are, in my opinion, very feasible plans to help the sector and promote local tourism."

The three professors decided to send the communication to this Congress after assessing its program, which has both national and international research with very relevant contributions.

For the Doctor, this achievement has meant "a very positive reinforcement to continue developing this and other future projects; and especially at this time when the research work is, in some cases, impossible to carry out."