FEBRUARY 07, 2026

“INSTEAD OF BUILDING A HOTEL, IT’S BETTER TO CREATE A REGENERATIVE PARK”: JORDI VAN OOSTENRYCK IN EL DÍA OF TENERIFE

The Canary Islands newspaper El Día recently published an interview with Jordi Van Oostenryck,, Director of communications at Underwater Gardens International, in which he reflects on the role of marine regeneration as a real and necessary alternative to the current development model along coastal areas.

“Instead of building a hotel, it’s better to create a regenerative park,” says Jordi, summarising UGI’s approach: transforming degraded spaces into living infrastructures that restore biodiversity, generate ecological value and reconnect people with nature. In contrast to conventional tourism and extractive coastal dynamics, the organisation proposes a new paradigm that places environmental regeneration at the heart of territorial planning.

Throughout the conversation, Jordi explains that underwater gardens are not only tools for restoring the seabed, but also catalysts for knowledge, citizen engagement and a new kind of blue economy that creates lasting value. He also highlights the essential role of applied science, ecosystem design and collaboration between institutions, businesses and civil society in making this systemic shift possible.

At Underwater Gardens International, this interview reinforces a message that lies at the core of our mission: it’s time to rethink our relationship with the ocean — to move from extracting resources to giving life back — and to show that regeneration is a strategic opportunity for the Canary Islands and for all coastal territories on our blue planet.