On November 8, Silvia Casellas, successfully defended her doctoral thesis, titled Transmedia tourism. Analysis, evaluation and characterisation of transmedia experiences for the design of new tourist spaces. Her groundbreaking research explores the role of transmedia narratives in shaping new tourist spaces within a context of cultural convergence and industry transformation.

Supervised by Dr. José Fernández Cavia, coordinator of the CAS group, and Dr. María del Mar Guerrero Pico, the thesis provides a thorough analysis of five case studies, including the fiction series The Plague and Bridgerton, the CATCAR and Els Sants d’Olot initiatives, and the Romeo and Juliet phenomenon in Verona. Using a rigorous methodology combining literature review, benchmarking, case studies, and semi-structured interviews, Casellas introduces an innovative definition of "transmedia tourism" and offers valuable insights for academics and practitioners.

The thesis received the highest distinction—Excellent with Cum Laude—following its evaluation by a panel chaired by Dr. Carlos A. Scolari (UPF), with Dr. Sara Vinyals Mirabent (UAB) as secretary and Dr. Valeriano Piñeiro Naval (USAL) as a member. The tribunal commended the thesis for its clarity, robust theoretical framework, and methodological precision. They also highlighted its relevance to both academia and the tourism industry.

This achievement not only underscores Silvia Casellas’s dedication but also reflects the CAS research group’s commitment to fostering innovative, interdisciplinary scholarship. Her research offers new perspectives on how transmedia narratives can enhance tourist engagement, activate heritage, and create participatory experiences.

Congratulations to Dr. Casellas on this well-deserved recognition!