Tourism as a Challenge

Maria F. Schmitz is a professor of ecology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid since 1994. PhD in biology (1990), she has extensive experience in landscape ecology. She has participated as a researcher in several projects funded by public calls and contracts, in recent years as a coordinator of several of them. She has published numerous papers in various forums, most recently in J. Biogeography, Landscape and Urban Planning, Environm. Monitoring & Assessment, Environm. Management, Ecological Indicators, Environm. Conservation, Biol. Conservation, Ecol. Modelling, etc., as well as books and chapters of books of her specialty - the last one Pineda, F. & Schmitz, MF 2011. Ecological connectivity. OAPN, Ministry of Environment, Madrid - , Sustainable Tourism I, II, III, IV. Wit Press, Southampton; Advanced computing techniques. Aconcagua, Sevilla; Nova Science Publ., New York, among others. Pablo Diaz has a law degree (2005) and cultural anthropology (2007). Master in social research applied to the environment and specialist in quantitative research methodology. PhD candidate in environmental studies in the Pablo de Olavide University of Seville, is member of a transdisciplinary research team from universities Complutense of Madrid and Tourism Institute of La Laguna (Canary Islands) specialized in tourism and environmental research as applications of anthropology, environmental sciences and law. He develops analytical applied work related to tourism, environment, patrimonialization processes and its socioecological effects. Among the projects in which he has participated may be mentioned the Study for the Natural Resources Management Plan of the National Park of Fuerteventura (2007-2012) or the Characterization of the ecological connectivity in the Spanish National Park network (2008-2010), among others projects of anthropology. He has edited specialized books in responsibility and tourism. Author of several book chapters (Island Sustainability, Sustainable Tourism, Tourism and Heritage,...) and of a significant number of articles in some journals (Asian J. of Tourism & Hospitality Research, Internat. J. web Based Communities, Pasos, Gaudeamus, Altre modernita, RBTUR,...).

• Sustainability of team building offers: survey of a growing market; Ecotourism and sustainability in community-driven ecological restoration: case studies from New Zealand; Sustainable tourism in mountainous regions; Tourism modelling for the Space Coast; Sustainability and the traditional tourism model in Baja California Sur, Mexico; Degradation and environmental risk at the Diamond Zone, Acapulco, Mexico; A conceptual framework for environmental governance networks: an analysis of small island destinations in Indonesia and the Coral Triangle; Carbon offsetting programs in North America: assessing the involvement of the hospitality and tourism industry; Hotel certification and its relevance for sustainable development: examples from the European Alps; Valuing water in dry land tourism regions; Costanera Sur: gateway to the Osa - a scenic conservation and development corridor in Costa Rica; Sustainable tourism development on Curacao: the implementation challenge