Interview coworker of the month: Viajar Eslou

 1. Could you tell us something about yourself and your project?

I am Cris, an entrepreneur from Granada. For a year now, I’ve been working hard to make responsible tourism and crafts more visible through the Viajar Eslou platform. With Viajar Eslou, I promote the cultural identity of the people of the world.

It is common knowledge that many cultures are in danger of extinction due to globalization and mass tourism, among other things.

With my project, I have given visibility to several towns in Spain, Greece, and Cyprus. I spread knowledge about responsible and sustainable tourism and help the arts sector by connecting local artists with travelers.

In a short time, I already appeared in both national and international media. Also, I’ve received an award for responsible and sustainable tourism from the World Tourism Organization .

2. Your work is very interesting, can you tell us what made you decide to start?

During a recent conversation with a few local artists I met in Cyprus, I realized that we face a global problem. The artists told me that there was no generational change in their sector, that their popular knowledge would disappear in about three years, and that a large part of their culture would also be affected by this loss. Ceramics, mosaics, wood carvings… All the elements that identified their cultural history and that differentiated them from others would disappear. It would do so because most of the knowledge is currently with the elderly population. Young people don’t seem interested in continuing this legacy.

After some investigation, I realized that this is a worldwide problem. There is no education, no promotion, no protection, and no support for this type of work. That is why I created Viajar Eslou. To change the situation and redirect the future of this sector, while promoting sustainable tourism. Since tourism has been very destructive to local communities so far, we need to give tourism a more sustainable focus. The tourism industry needs to look after the natural and social environment of the areas they cover.

 3. When did you join AndaCowork?

At the beginning of the year (2020). I had been looking for a place to work since the end of the previous year and when I came across ANDA, I fell in love immediately.

4. What opinion did you have the first time you met the space?

Anda Cowork looked inviting to me from the first time I saw it. It’s light, spacious, and I really like the atmosphere. I decided to stay for all these reasons, as well as the good location and the lovely owner, Victoria! The truth is, I couldn’t have chosen a better place to work.

5. What do you like most about working here?

I would say the peace and the good atmosphere in the workspace.

6. What are the advantages of having a workspace like AndaCoWork?

First of all, It’s nice to have a space where you can work calmly and disconnect from your private life, since you gain a lot of mental health by working at a coworking. Besides that, it’s nice to be able to connect with different people with different profiles. The atmosphere at Anda is really good!

7. What message would you like to share with people who are considering working at a coworking?

Don’t think twice about it and do it! There are many advantages and no disadvantages. 🙂