The Regional Innovation Strategy for a Smart Specialization in Sustainable and Technological Tourism (S4T2) project aims to develop an innovation strategy for the Balearic Islands region based on their strengths in tourism. The strategy will analyze the regional context, identify priority industries, and define a policy mix and action plan to achieve economic transformation through knowledge and technology in tourism. The definition phase from 2013-2015 had a budget of 120k€ from the Balearic government, and the deployment phase from 2015-2020 is estimated to cost 50M€, financed by the regional government and European funds. Key activities include stakeholder participation, developing a shared vision, and establishing governance and monitoring systems.

2. RIS3
PROJECT
IDENTIFICATION
NAME
Regional Innovation Strategy for a Smart Specialization in
Sustainable and Technological Tourism
ACRONYM S4T2
SITE www.ris3balears.com
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
An attempt to define and deploy a Regional innovation strategy in
order to achieve territorial economic transformation based on
knowledge.
The strategy leverages on the Balearics comparative and
competitive advantages taking into account the Region’s
research, technological and economic strengths
BRIEF CONTEXT
According to the Knowledge for Growth initiatives adopted by the
EC, a new approach to Regional research and innovation policies
is envisaged as opposed to some previous instruments that
arbitrarily spread investment thinly across several frontier
technology or research fields. A thematic concentration is now
sought after, encouraging investment in programs that will
complement the territorial productive assets to create future
domestic capability and interregional comparative advantage
MAIN WORK
PACKAGES
• Analysis of the Regional Context: SWOT analysis and
Diagnose
• Ensuring Governance and Participation
• Elaboration of a Regional Vision documented in a RIS3
Agenda
• Priority Activity Identification
• Definition of Policy Mix, Roadmaps and Action Plan
• Integration of Monitoring and Evaluation
FINANCIAL
RESOURCES
FINANCING SOURCE
• Definition Phase: Balearic Government, Directorate
General for Universities, Research and Knowledge
Transfer and Directorate General for Innovation and
Technical Development
• Deployment Phase: Balearic Government with co-
financing from ERDF, plus competitive funding and
private co-investment
BUDGET
• Definition Phase: 120k€ from 2013 through 2015
• Deployment Phase: estimated circa 50M€ over a 7 year
period
EXECUTION
• Definition Phase: 90% completed, pending refining the
evaluation and monitoring system
• Deployment Phase: 15% completed, pending final
integration with ERDF OP, budget allocation and
detailed action plan
RIS3
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3. HUMAN
RESOURCES
TEAM MEMBERS
S4T2 Governance scheme establishes a Managing Group in
charge of the technical aspects of definition, deployment and
animation. People involved in this group at different stages were:
• Miquel Bibiloni
• Inmaculada Higueras
• Jaume Bagur
• Antonio Viader
We were most proficiently assisted throughout the process by the
consulting firm Infyde
STAKEHOLDERS
INVOLVED
• DG Regio, European Commission
• JRC IPTS, EC
• Experts appointed by EC
• Peer reviewers from other European and Spanish regions
• Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, MINECO
• Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, FECYT
• Balearics Regional Government
• Balearics Foundation for Innovation and Technology,
FundacióBIT
• S4T2 Steering Committee (see later)
• Balearics University UIB
• Balearics knowledge-based clusters
• Business Associations and SMEs
• More than 300 participants in a series of round tables and
entrepreneurial discovery tables
STEERING
COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
• D. José Ramón Bauzá, President del Govern de les Illes
Balears
• D. Joaquín García, Conseller d’Economia i Competitivitat del
Govern de les Illes Balears
• Dña. Joana Mª Camps, Consellera d’Educació, Cultura i
Universitats del Govern de les Illes Balears
• Dr. Llorenç Huguet, Rector de la Universitat de les Illes
Balears
• D. Juan Mulet, Director General de Fundación COTEC
• D. Luis del Olmo, Presidente del clúster Balears.t
• D. Simón Pedro Barceló, Co-Presidente del Grupo Barceló
• Dr. Joaquín Tintoré, Director del Sistema de Observación y
Predicción Costero de las Illes Balears (SOCIB)
• D. Ovidio Andrés, Consejero Delegado de Logitravel
• D. Andreu Garau, Presidente de EMAYA
• D. Álvaro Middelmann, Presidente de la Comisión de Turismo
de la Cámara de Comercio de Mallorca
• D. Jaume Monserrat, Presidente del clúster turisTEC
• D. Jesús Fernández, Director General de ISBA
• D. Alejandro Forcades Juan, Presidente del Cercle
d’Economia de Mallorca
• D. Fernando Rotger, Director de la Clínica Rotger
RIS3RIS3
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4. MY ROLE IN THE
PROJECT
Appointed Technical Coordinator for the elaboration of the
Balearics RIS3 Agenda by Agreement of the Regional
Government Council on 19/04/2013, my main responsibilities
being:
• Gather data and qualified opinions in order to define the
Balearics specialization patterns in scientific, economic and
technological production. From these a SOWT analysis and a
diagnose were produced
• Elaborate an agenda on the basis of the previous information
containing a vision for the future of the region, a proposed
selection of priorities, a coherent policy mix and an evaluation
& monitoring system
• Propose a Governance scheme. Inform and animate
participation at all levels
• Gather consensus and approval of the diagnose and the
agenda
• Cooperation and exchange of good practices with other
European regions
• Reporting of results and cooperation with the Spanish
authorities and the EC
• Communication and dissemination of results
TIME
TIMING PLANNED
• Definition Phase: 2013 through 2015
• Deployment Phase: 2015 to 2020
TIMING EXECUTED
• Definition Phase: Completed except budget allocation and
follow-up system
• Deployment Phase: 4 deployed initiatives
KEYWORDS KEYWORDS
Research, Innovation, Regional, Strategy, Smart, Specialization,
Entrepreneurial Discovery, Comparative Advantage, Competitive
Advantage, Economic Transformation, Sustainability, Technology,
Tourism
INDICATORS DEFINITION Still under definition
PRODUCTS /
LESSONS
LEARNED
LESSONS LEARNED
• Gather maximum political and social consensus
• Build upon what’s proven solid (do no reinvent the wheel
every 4 years)
• Analyze your strengths, your potential to grow and find
differentiation niches
• With Public Bodies: allow time and search incentives for
internal coordination
• With private stakeholders: competitors must learn to
cooperate and be willing to invest time and money
• Managing horizontality of innovation can be a hard task
• Be aware that your strategy was defined to be destroyed by
reality. Measure and redefine
• At the end of the day it’s all about the people involved
RIS3RIS3
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