Spanish Tourism: Characteristics, Demand, and Types
Characteristics of Spanish Tourism
The tourist offer is the set of services available to tourists.
The sellers of the product are the institutions that provide international tourism fairs, tourist offices, and travel agencies.
Tourist accommodation facilities, maintenance, and recreation are key components of tourism.
Accommodation Available
The accommodation available is very broad and focuses on the Mediterranean coast mainland, Balearic and Canary Islands. In recent years, it has grown to over a million and a half touring in hotels, mostly middle or lower class, and more than ten million jobs in non-hotel establishments. Support includes the provision of catering services. The most visited are those of the holders.
The offer includes recreational sports facilities, parks and water recreation, equestrian and golf clubs, facilities for water sports, skiing, national parks and natural areas, and so on.
Tourism Demand
Foreign Demand
The foreign demand comes mostly from Northern and Western Europe. Foreign tourism is predominantly in the summer and concentrated on areas of sun and beach in Catalonia, the Balearic and Canary Islands, followed by Andalusia and the Valencia community. More frequently, travelers book services as part of a package, but there is an increase in direct contracting due to the use of the Internet and low-cost airlines, with a growing preference for non-hotel accommodation.
Domestic Demand
Domestic demand comes largely from Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, and Valencia. There are better deals on Easter weekend and long weekends. In summer, people prefer the beaches in Andalusia, Catalonia, Valencia, northern Spain, inland villages, and mountains. In general, people travel without reservations and are housed in non-hotel facilities such as homes of family and friends, second homes, or apartments.
Excessive Seasonality
The excessive seasonality of demand is one of the main problems. The main demand coincides with the summer holidays, except for ski resorts and the Canary Islands.
The concentration in a few months causes excessive use of infrastructure, congestion, loss of quality, and environmental problems. Instead, its limited use for the rest of the year makes it difficult to repay capital. In recent years, we can see a slowing down of the season. The reasons are likely to be more holidays throughout the year, the development of domestic tourism winter weekends and long weekends, tourism, and social or older tourism.
Types of Tourism
The types of tourism are still headed by sun and beach. In 1990, other types became important that exploit the diversity of tourism resources in Spain. The causes of this are the requirement of diversity of customers, demand for spaces less saturated, the increase in domestic tourism, and the promotion of tourism as a development strategy for disadvantaged areas.
Water Border Tourism
This includes sun and sand, but also activities related to rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Moreover, this becomes an important tourism increased thermal spa or medical cure combined with rest in peaceful places.
Successful in the nineteenth century and has emerged today.
Mountain Tourism
This is linked to the sport of skiing, but also includes hiking, trekking, mountaineering, canyoning, adventure sports, etc.
Eco-tourism
This focuses on visiting protected natural areas, balancing environmental protection with recreational use and tourism subject to established regulations.
Rural Tourism
This includes accommodation and stay in the countryside. It seeks to break the peace, visit agromuseums, etc.
Cultural Tourism
This is urban tourism led by heritage cities.