The I International Congress of Whale Watching | SeaU 2020 is an event with the aim of reinforcing the positioning of Tenerife as a world reference destination for whale watching, which is committed to strengthening a sustainable tourism model around this activity.
With an innovative online format, it is intended to create collaboration networks between tourism and environmental agents at local, regional, national and international level, which are committed to sustainability in a broad sense around whale watching. Different formats, meeting points and networking areas are planned to join forces towards a common goal, that of promoting the excellence and quality of this ecotourism service in balance with the conservation of marine ecosystems.
Check the available program of meetings and sign up to follow them live from anywhere in the world. You will also be able to establish contact and schedule meetings with researchers, professionals and companies related to whale watching in Tenerife, the Canary Islands and other places in Europe or America. See you there!
16.00- 16. 30
(GMT+0)
Institutional welcome:
– Teresa Ribera (Vice President and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of the Government of Spain)
– José Gregorio Martín Plata (counselor of Territorial Planning, Historical Heritage and Tourism Area of the Island Council of Tenerife)
– Antonio Fernández (ULPGC – Director of Interreg MAC MARCET II project)
– Emilio José Navarro Castanedo (mayor of Santiago del Teide)
16.30- 16.45
(GMT+0)
Presentation of the Congress and the Tenerife Whale Watching Sustainability Charter
– David Pérez (Chief Executive of Turismo de Tenerife)
16.45- 17.15
(GMT+0)
Presentation of the HOPE SPOT recognition to Tenerife and La Gomera: Inspiring and Raising Awareness for the Further Conservation of the Oceans
– Presentation by Sylvia Earle (Mission Blue. Pioneering oceanographer in ocean exploration. Princess of Asturias Awards and TED Prize 2009).
– Discussion between Natacha Aguilar (ULL) and Francis Pérez (underwater photographer and Individual Shot Award in the Nature category of the World Press Photo 2017)
17.15 – 17.45
(GMT+0)
Collaboration frameworks between the scientific community and the tourist activity of whale watching
Expert dialogue by:
– Jacobo Marrero (Asociación Tonina)
– Mirna Piñero (Director of Calderones de Canarias)
17.45 – 18.15
(GMT+0)
Presentation of Arona SOS Festival
In charge of:
– Martín Rivero (director of the festival)
– José Julián Mena (Mayor of Arona)
DIGITAL INTERVIEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18
16.00- 17.30
(GMT+0)
The challenge of photographing whales and their ecosystems
Digital interviews to complement their online photographic exhibitions, which will be available on the congress website for attendees. During the session they will talk about their focus and themes, as well as their professional career.
– Francis Pérez (Underwater photographer and Individual Shot Award in the Nature category of the World Press Photo 2017)
– Juan Carlos Muñoz (Biologist and renowned nature photographer)
– Presenter: Mar Ramírez, biologist specialized in environment and communication.
WEBINAR 1 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19
16.00- 17.30
(GMT+0)
Local Experiences of Whale Watching in America. The cases of Chile, Mexico and Argentina.
Panel of experts:
– Marinella Maldonado (Guarda Park of the Isla Chañaral Marine Reserve in Chile)
– Dra. Diane Gendron (Grupo Ballena Azul Loreto. México)
– Ricardo Daniel Orri (Whales Argentina. Península Valdez, Patagonia)
– Presenter: Mar Ramírez, biologist specialized in environment and communication.
NETWORKING | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Matchmaking and professional networking among the participants in the congress.
Possibility of scheduling virtual appointments and meetings with other professionals from different parts of the world. Each person registered in the congress will be able to plan their own agenda based on the availability of schedules of both parties, with access to a virtual meeting room.
WEBINAR 2 | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23
16.00- 17.30
(GMT+0)
Local Experiences of Whale Watching in Europe. The cases of Azores, Norway and Spain.
Panel of experts:
– Susana Simião (Espaço Talassa. Azores)
– Mario Acquarone (Expedition Leader at Hurtigruten and European Cetacean Society. Noruega)
– Giovanna Bertella (UiT – The Artic University of Norway Ocean Sounds)
– Gorka Ocio (Nature guide specialized in whales and seabirds. Ver Ballenas. España)
– Presenter: Mar Ramírez, biologist specialized in environment and communication.
WEBINAR 3 | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24
16.00- 17.30
(GMT+0)
Whale Watching as an Ecotourism Product: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Prospects.
Round table discussion with the following participants
– Higinio Guerra (President of Asociación para la conservación de los Cetáceos del Sur de Tenerife – ACEST)
– Ricardo Daniel Orri (Whales Argentina. Península Valdez, Patagonia)
– Susana Conde (Founder of Genuine Spain, first Spanish receptive agency specialized in sustainable tourism)
– Chaitanya Suárez (Researcher at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – ULPGC)
– Moderator: César Javier Palacios (naturalist and environmental journalist)
NETWORKING | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Matchmaking and professional networking among the participants in the congress.
Possibility of scheduling virtual appointments and meetings with other professionals from different parts of the world. Each person registered in the congress will be able to plan their own agenda based on the availability of schedules of both parties, with access to a virtual meeting room.
WEBINAR 4 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26
16.00- 17.30
(GMT+0)
Protected Marine Areas: Working Towards the Good Health of the Seas
Closing presentations:
–16:00 – 16:45 h. Erich Hoyt (researcher and scientist at WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, United Kingdom. Author or co-author of over 20 books and publishings related to cetaceans and protected marine areas)
– 16:45 – 17:30 h. Jesús de la Fuente (scientific-technical coordinator of the Marcet II project. Promotion of ecotourism activity for whale watching as a model of sustainable economic development through the protection and conservation of these species and their enhancement as a natural heritage of Macaronesia)
– Presenter: Mar Ramírez, biologist specialized in environment and communication.
NETWORKING | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27 AND CLOSING
Matchmaking and professional networking among the participants in the congress.
Possibility of scheduling virtual appointments and meetings with other professionals from different parts of the world. Each person registered in the congress will be able to plan their own agenda based on the availability of schedules of both parties, with access to a virtual meeting room.
At the end of the congress, a video report with interviews with experts will be published as part of a whale watching activity, focusing on the biodiversity associated with the ecosystems where cetaceans live in Tenerife.
Registration for the event is for free and includes access to a private area with premium content, where you can watch in live all the sessions of the program, as well as establish contact with other participants and schedule virtual meetings.
Sessions will be in SPANISH or ENGLISH, with simultaneous translation in both languages.
For any incident with the registration process or for queries related to the congress, you can write an email to the Technical Secretariat: eventos@ecotouristing.com