Basagaitz Guereño Omil

Basagaitz Guereño Omil serves as a full-time Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Human Sciences at the University of Deusto's Faculty of Social and Human Sciences. She leads research within the Basque Government-recognized team "Leisure, Culture and Tourism for Social Transformation" and maintains active roles in international networks including REDINTUR, IFITT, and ATHE.

• PhD in Human Sciences in the Knowledge Society (University of Deusto, 2011)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Cultural Tourism Development (University of Sunderland, 2006)
• MA in Euroculture (University of Deusto & Uppsala University, 2004)
• BA in History-Cultural Heritage (University of Deusto, 2003)

Her research critically examines tourism's intersection with social transformation through multiple lenses: cross-border mobility dynamics in the Basque Eurocity, gendered migration patterns, religious pilgrimage experiences (particularly the Ignatian Way), and sustainable destination development. Recent work addresses digital transformation in tourism ecosystems, pandemic-era travel behavior shifts, and carbon-neutral transition strategies for rural accommodations.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2016-2025) reveals three dominant scholarly trajectories: 1) Theoretical advancement of mobility paradigms in tourism contexts, 2) Practical applications for sustainable destination resilience through digital tools and stakeholder collaboration, and 3) Socio-cultural investigations of pilgrimage tourism and migrant leisure practices. Her work consistently bridges academic theory with regional policy implementation, particularly in Basque Country tourism development.

• Sexenio 2014-2019 research productivity award

Guereño Omil coordinates multiple funded research initiatives including the "Turismo Adimentsua" series (2022-2025), "Laboratorio Turístico de Gipuzkoa" observatory, and the Basque Government's "OCIO, CULTURA Y TURISMO PARA LA TRANSFORMACION SOCIAL" project (IT1457-22). Her grant portfolio demonstrates strong institutional partnerships with Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa and European research frameworks, with recent focus on climate-resilient tourism and green digital transitions. While specific advisees aren't documented, her MERGE project on Erasmus mobility involved extensive student development research.

She directs collaborative research within the University of Deusto's tourism laboratory ecosystem, working closely with the Centre of Experience Economy (University of Sunderland) on cross-border mobility studies. Her current projects integrate virtual assistant technology development for tourism destinations with carbon footprint analysis, creating multidisciplinary teams spanning data science, cultural heritage management, and sustainable development specialists.