SUTUS 2022: First space hotel and Cousteau’s International Ocean Station to be explored at the world’s largest space and underwater tourism summit

The first space hotel planned for 2027 and the International Ocean Station which aims to be operational by 2026 are among the projects being presented at SUTUS 2022, the world’s largest space and underwater tourism event.

From 28-30 September, SUTUS – the Space & Underwater Tourism Universal Summit – will bring together prestigious institutions and international stakeholders for the third edition of this pioneering conference at Les Roches Marbella.

Taking place in a hybrid format, with the first day in person and two other virtual days, SUTUS has positioned itself as the benchmark forum for the world’s main space agencies. Last year it attracted NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and these organisations return alongside the International Space University, Space Tourism Society and Swiss Space Tourism.

More than 30 companies will also be present to update on the progress of their initiatives. These include Orbital Assembly, the first hotel with accommodation for tourists in space; Axiom Space, which aims to create cities in space; SpaceVIP, dedicated to “space literacy” and inspiring the next generation of private astronauts; and the Space Tourism Society, focused on “commercialising” the growing range of space experiences (real spaceflight, movies, games and even virtual worlds). Nancy Vermeulen, private astronaut trainer at the Space Training Academy, and retired astronaut commander Susan Kilrain, who will reflect on her experience beyond planet Earth, also feature.

Meanwhile, the still unexplored marine world will be evoked by international speakers such as Fabien Cousteau (grandson of famous undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau) and his International Ocean Station; Aaron Olivera, founder and CEO of Earth 300, a global environmental and science project created in a futuristic superyacht whose main objective is to combat climate change; and Scott Waters, president of Pisces VI Submarine, who will talk about diving tourism in the Canary Islands.

The creation of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) is the main theme of the Spanish presence at this annual event. Álvaro Giménez Cañete, Special Delegate for AEE, will present the action plan for this new organisation, whose headquarters a dozen cities, including Seville, Tres Cantos (Madrid), Teruel, León, Puertollano (Ciudad Real), and the Canary Islands are currently vying to host.

In addition, SUTUS will welcome renowned speakers such as underwater archaeologist Carlota Pérez Reverte, aspiring ESA astronauts Carmen García-Roger and Jorge Pla-García, and Spanish companies in the space race including Green Moon Project, which is working towards space agriculture and habitability; and Zero 2 Infinity, a company that develops high-altitude balloons to provide access to the area around space and the low-Earth orbit using a capsule and launcher transported by balloons.

Organised by Les Roches Marbella with Medina Media Events, the event will host a demonstration area on campus where representatives of each company participating will be able to present their tourism-related projects, thus opening up the experience to all those visiting the school’s facilities. Virtual attendees and registered companies can follow all sessions via streaming and schedule video meetings with other participants and speakers, as well as visit exclusive online demos. All details, along with the agenda and registration for the three days, are now available at www.sutusummit.com.

Carlos Díez de la Lastra, CEO of Les Roches, said: “We are delighted that we have managed to bring the best agencies and representatives of the most exciting projects in the world to this congress, the most important in the world in the discussion of tourism in the two borders that we have over our heads and under our feet.”

Luxury tourism in Europe, which focuses on the cosmos and water, is worth between 130,000 and 170,000 million euros a year, 22% of the sector’s total income, according to consultancy firm Bain & Company. Last year saw the beginning of a revolution in the history of the cosmos, when Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, flew his rocket to an altitude of 106km for ten minutes, ushering in the era of commercial space travel. The search for both original and personalised experiences is propelling the future of luxury tourism towards new destinations, reaffirming the entrenchment of premium tourism across the world.