Space Impact: Demographic, Settlement, and Economic Analysis
Space Impact:
Impact Demographic:
- Coastal areas: Population has increased, with young adults seeking employment and other adults or seniors permanently establishing businesses or therapeutic services. This increases employment in the tertiary sector and construction.
- Rural and mountainous areas and some cities: The decline in historical development has slowed, stimulating the rehabilitation of crafts and traditions.
Impact on Settlement:
- Settlement extends along the coast with urban, high-density construction, raising speculation.
- Some rural areas and mountain areas collaborate in the rehabilitation of built heritage.
Economic Impact:
- Tourism generates over 12% occupation in tourist services and mixed tourist activities, requiring an abundant and less proficient workforce, which can affect unemployment.
- The affected sector exerts a multiplier effect, stimulating other economic activities and attractions.
- Demand brings richness to the country’s basic role in Spanish prosperity.
- Compensates for and influences the trade balance in transport policy, providing good accessibility to tourist areas (creation of the Mediterranean motorway, airport expansion and modernization, increase of port capacity).
Cultural Policies and Sociological Impact:
- Contact between people and cultures fosters understanding and favors political entente.
- Tourism impacts local society, positively stimulating change and social modernization, but can behave badly when customs are lost.
Absent Impact on the Area:
A) In coastal areas, spaces are converted into recreational services depending on upcoming needs. The consequences are:
- Changes in the environment and the landscape due to quarrying, construction, and earthwork.
- Economic transformations: revaluation of cropland, conversion to solar, and promotion of activities requested by tourism.
- Conflicts in soil use and resources: urbanization pressure on arable land and conflicts with agricultural water use.
B) In tourism and mountain areas, industrial activities can create conflicts with agriculture or encourage abandonment.
C) In historical cities, old centers specialize in tourist services and install storefronts, secondary residences, or hotels.
Environmental Impact:
Development from the strong sector in a short time in a small space occurred when environmental concern was widespread. Hotels and apartment blocks were built along beaches in natural and urbanized areas of great value.
Problems and Tourism Policy:
A) The Problem:
- The predominance of the traditional model of sun and beach brings middle-class or lower-middle-class customers, high seasonality, high concentration, and strong spatial dependence.
- Overseas tourists demand new silver stocks: quality and variety, more participation in environmental quality and organization.