On January 15th 2026, MEMOLab UGR, Copenhagen Business School and the municipality of Salar, in Granada, Spain, organized a workshop on alternative business models aimed at the development of sustainable tourism initiatives in the municipality of Salar.
More than 30 participants from diverse backgrounds took part, including local and regional tour guides, the local merchants’ association, socio-cultural agents, cultural associations, tourist accommodation providers, members of the Church of Santa Ana, and local businesses such as bars, restaurants, and bookshops.
The workshop began with an initial round of participant introductions, followed by an introductory session on various concepts related to alternative business models, with a particular focus on cultural business models, as well as the role of heritage communities in managing cultural heritage and sustainable tourism. This was followed by a first group work session, during which participants carried out a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to local businesses and tourism in the municipality. The SWOT analysis was divided into two parts, so participants were able to discuss the current situation of tourism in the town, as well as potential scenarios in the near future.
The programme continued with a presentation of good practices in heritage management, tourism, and governance from across Europe. This led into a second group work session, in which each group designed a business model proposal using the Business Model Canvas template, which they were previously introduced to. This exercise encouraged participants to develop new ideas or improve existing ones, reflect on how to implement them, explore ways of working together as a community, and identify potential sources of funding and support networks. Each group then presented the proposal they had developed during the session.
The workshop concluded with a brief collective reflection on the session and the outline of a possible roadmap, as participants expressed a positive outlook regarding the ideas that had emerged.
In conclusion, the workshop served as an initial step towards launching a process for the creation of the Salar Heritage Community, envisioned as a space for dialogue and for the development of new tourism-related business opportunities, always with the well-being of the people and the territory of Salar at its core.
