Elisa Rico Cánovas

Elisa Rico Cánovas is a Permanent Labor Professor at the University of Alicante, affiliated with the Department of Regional Geographic Analysis and Physical Geography within the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters II (Geography and History). She is an active researcher at the University Institute for Tourism Research, where she previously served as Academic Secretary (2019-2023). Her academic credentials include a PhD in Tourism Management and Planning from the University of Alicante (2014), a Higher Degree in Tourism from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (2002), and dual Bachelor's degrees in Philosophy and Letters from the University of Alicante (1996, 2002).

Research Focus:
Her work centers on sustainable cultural heritage activation in coastal regions, with emphasis on:

• Tourism functionality analysis of cultural assets
• Methodologies for heritage interpretation and gastronomic tourism value chains
• Territorial approaches to tourism resource development

She has led projects like the Costa Blanca Cultura Cultural Heritage Enhancement Plan (2008-2012).

Teaching & Academic Service:
With over 10 years of teaching experience, she instructs courses in Tourism, Geography and Territorial Planning, Gastronomy, and Cultural Tourism programs. Her contributions include curriculum development across undergraduate and master's levels, recognized through formal teaching accreditation.