Lanzarote will host the second edition of the IBLUE Islands Innovation Summit on March 12 and 13, 2026, at Jameos del Agua, with the presence of island territories from practically all the seas and oceans of the world.
In this context, blue islands are understood to be island territories that are working towards innovation, sustainability, and the blue economy, meaning the responsible management of marine and coastal resources, sustainable tourism, technology applied to island destinations, etc.
This was highlighted at the presentation, on Tuesday afternoon, at the NH Collection Madrid Suecia hotel, within the framework of FITUR 2026, which included representatives from islands in Mexico, Honduras (guest country of the second edition) and, of course, the Cabildo of Lanzarote, as well as this year's godmother, Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente, a biologist and science communicator
Oswaldo Betancort, president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, sent a video message stating "that the IBLUE Congress holding its second edition in Lanzarote is excellent news and a show of confidence in the island model we have been defending for decades. Lanzarote is now an international benchmark in sustainability, responsible land management, and dialogue between development and conservation, and this congress reinforces our role as a space for global reflection for island territories".
The presentation featured Héctor Fernández, CEO of SPEL- Turismo Lanzarote; Enrique Acosta, Director of Brand and Communication at IBLUE; Francisco Hortigüela, President of AMETIC; Elías Farah, Director of Tourism and Economic Development for the Island of Cozumel in Mexico; Tatiana Siercke, Manager of International Relations for the Honduran Tourism Institute; and, of course, Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente. Also in attendance were, among others, Adolfo Borrero, Technical and Content Director at IBLUE, and representatives from Belpa Eventos, the congress organizers, as well as the Art, Culture, and Tourism Centers of Lanzarote (CACT), one of the sponsors.
Enrique Acosta, Brand Director of IBLUE Congress, highlighted that "this event will be a blue laboratory in which the new island blue tourism, based on sustainability, technology, and the proper use of resources, will be debated and redefined". From the Islands of the World for a bluer Planet.
Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente expressed enthusiasm about her presence at IBLUE: "this congress is fundamental, as it will analyze how to progress in tourism while respecting endogenous natural values and being aware that resources are limited, which is accentuated on the islands".
In this regard, the science communicator recalled that "tourism has evolved towards globality, but at the same time it is leaving behind blind developmentalism, where growth occurred without respecting the environments in which it was built. It was killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. People are now looking for sixth-generation tourism, where they want to experience the authenticity of the destination, the landscape, disconnection, and the trend is towards higher quality, even if it means higher costs. Mass tourism is declining. And now tourists want tourism linked to the cultural identity of the territory, which preserves the landscapes and nature that make up the places we visit".
And it is precisely the Lanzarote model that, according to Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente, global tourism should look to: “Lanzarote has a powerful beauty, an island that captivates, with a different character and personality, and there is nothing in its tourist elements that detracts from its purity. Lanzarote has managed to generate beauty from the island's identity. It has everything in its favor for this new quality tourism, and to propose these international meetings, to inspire other territories, and to draw from examples from different parts of the world. Lanzarote has made a very intelligent commitment with IBLUE Congress and has managed to respect the heritage of César Manrique, which is in the island's DNA, a commitment to the autochthonous and the island's endogenous beauty, respecting limited resources such as water".
Héctor Fernández, CEO of SPEL–Turismo Lanzarote, stated that “IBLUE Congress fits naturally with Lanzarote's international positioning strategy as a destination for knowledge, innovation, and advanced thinking. Betting on a second edition means consolidating the island as a meeting point for the Islands of the world, connecting tourism, science, technology, and sustainability from a blue approach with a global vocation”.
Elías Farah, director of Tourism and Economic Development for the island of Cozumel in Mexico, explained that "we are an island with a tourist vocation, but, at the same time, with a significant impact on public services and waste generation. Today, there is a culture of environmental preservation and a desire to move towards more responsible tourism, as resources are limited. This congress will allow us to learn practices from other destinations that are more advanced in the good use of resources, as is the case with Lanzarote."
Taiana Siercke, manager of International Relations for the Honduran Tourism Institute, said that “for Honduras, IBLUE is an opportunity. We are carrying out a project in the Bay Islands, with a strong investment in the insular strip, to address the challenges in the protection of the marine ecosystem, which we will present at IBLUE Congress”.
Finally, Francisco Hortigüela, president of AMETIC, the voice of the **digital industry in Spain**, stated that "digitalization is one of the great enablers in the area of sustainability, tourism management, and the entire island ecosystem. We must maintain the **balance between the experience of the people who visit the island and those who live on it**. Technology facilitates all our processes: tourism management, environmental measurement, etc. Hence the importance of conferences like IBLUE, where the relationship between technology and sustainability in the blue islands will be analyzed."