Tourism in Spain: Development, Impacts, and Challenges

Posted on Nov 6, 2024 in Geography

Tourism in Spain

1. Factors in Spanish Tourism Development

The word “tourist” emerged in Britain during the late 18th century, referring to individuals who embarked on journeys for cultural enrichment or leisure. Spain currently stands as a prominent tourist destination, attracting substantial international tourism and generating significant revenue. The Spanish tourism boom of the 1960s stemmed from a combination of external and internal factors.

a) External Factors:

  • Post-World War II economic growth in Western and Northern Europe led to increased purchasing power among the middle class, enabling them to travel more extensively for leisure. This trend was further supported by the introduction of paid leave legislation for the working class.
  • Advancements in transportation, such as reduced airfare, improved road and rail networks, and widespread car ownership, facilitated travel.

b) Internal Factors:

  • Spain’s geographical proximity to European markets.
  • Diverse climates and landscapes, including warm beaches.
  • Cultural attractions such as historical monuments, traditions, folklore, and gastronomy.
  • Favorable exchange rates for foreign tourists, resulting in lower costs.
  • Government support for tourism development, starting in the early 1960s, as a means to finance industrialization and improve the trade balance.
  • Emergence of large hotels and travel agencies.

While some of these factors have diminished in importance, others have gained prominence, including:

  • Strong domestic demand.
  • High-quality tourism offerings, including environmental considerations.
  • Diversification of tourism products.
  • Availability of skilled human resources.
  • Improved transportation infrastructure.
  • Effective tourism promotion at national, regional, and local levels.
  • Political instability in competing destinations, such as the Balkans and North African countries.

2. The Traditional Tourism Model

The tourism model implemented since the 1960s is characterized by a substantial supply catering to a large customer base with medium to low purchasing power. Tourists are primarily accommodated in hotels and apartments, mainly in coastal areas. The sector’s reliance on international tour operators is another defining feature, resulting in a significant portion of tourist spending occurring outside of Spain.

2.1 Tourism Supply

Tourism supply encompasses travel agents who sell tourism products and facilities that cater to tourists’ needs for accommodation, sustenance, and recreation. Accommodation options are extensive, concentrated along the Mediterranean coast and islands, although rural accommodation has increased in recent years.

  • Hotels, with over one million beds, rank Spain as the third-largest hotel market globally.
  • Other accommodation establishments offer over ten million beds.

Support services include catering, cafes, and bars. Recreational facilities, particularly sports facilities, are also prominent.

2.2 Tourism Demand

Initially dominated by foreign tourists, tourism demand now sees a significant contribution from domestic tourism.

a) International Demand:

Since Spain’s entry into the European Union, the number of international visitors has increased substantially, reaching 85.6 million in 2004.

b) Domestic Demand:

Domestic tourism has experienced growth, originating primarily from industrialized regions like Madrid and Catalonia. Destinations include northern coasts and inland villages, with a preference for non-hotel accommodation.

c) Seasonality:

Excessive seasonality is a major challenge for Spanish tourism. Peak demand coincides with the summer months (high season), except in ski resorts and the Canary Islands, where seasonality is less pronounced. Low occupancy during the off-season hinders investment due to difficulties in capital amortization.

3. The Crisis of the Traditional Model and Alternative Tourism

3.1 Causes of the Crisis:

Since 1989, the traditional tourism model has faced a crisis. Contributing factors include:

  • Predominance of low and medium-level tourism.
  • Challenges faced by the tourism sector, such as price inflexibility, seasonality, and competition.
  • Dependence on international tour operators, who demand higher quality at lower prices.
  • Environmental degradation and landscape alterations in some tourist areas.

3.2 Alternative Tourism and New Tourism Policy:

Addressing these challenges requires restructuring and renewal, with a focus on sustainable land-use policies. The objectives of the new tourism policy include:

  • Promoting high-quality tourism by developing infrastructure, modernizing facilities, improving vocational training, and prioritizing environmental protection.
  • Diversifying tourism offerings to mitigate seasonality, regional imbalances, and competition. This involves developing new forms of tourism, such as:
    • Rural tourism
    • Sports tourism
    • Ecotourism
    • Urban tourism
  • Reducing dependence on international tour operators by fostering national tour operators.
  • Ensuring tourism development is compatible with environmental quality. Growing environmental awareness among foreign tourists and competition from other destinations necessitate a strong focus on sustainability.

4. Tourist Areas and Typology

Tourist areas experience a high influx of both domestic and international tourists. In Spain, the primary tourist destinations are the Mediterranean coast, including the Canary and Balearic Islands. Madrid attracts significant cultural tourism, while the northwestern and northern coasts also receive a substantial share of visitors. Isolated tourist spots exist, often based on specific attractions like ski resorts or rural tourism offerings.

Tourist areas can be categorized based on factors such as seasonality (e.g., Catalonia and the Balearic Islands with high seasonality) and the type of tourism (e.g., stabilized tourism with long stays in cities like Granada and Toledo due to their historical heritage).

Tourist Areas of Sun and Beach:

The Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and the Mediterranean coast receive a large influx of tourists due to their favorable climate and beaches. However, these areas exhibit notable differences in terms of:

  • Accessibility: Variations in tourist occupancy can be attributed to differences in road infrastructure, with some areas lacking adequate connections.
  • Spatial Occupation Model: Tourist accommodations can be integrated into existing urban structures (e.g., Benidorm, Torremolinos) or generate new settlements comprising accommodations, recreational facilities, and commercial areas.
  • Accommodation Quality and Customer Type: The predominance of extensive low-density or intensive high or medium-low category hotels catering to domestic or foreign tourists varies across different areas.

Other Tourist Areas:

Since the 1990s, efforts have been made to develop tourism in other areas, driven by factors such as:

  • Increased proximity tourism to inland and rural areas.
  • The need to restructure traditional coastal areas.
  • Demand for new attractions beyond sun and beach tourism.

Examples of these emerging tourist areas include:

  • Madrid: Cultural tourism
  • Galician and Cantabrian coasts: Coastal areas with less saturation and attractive rural and natural landscapes
  • Rural tourism centers
  • Ski resorts
  • Historical and artistic cities

5. The Spatial Impact of Tourism

5.1 Demographic Impact

  • Coastal areas: Tourism increases population density and employment in the tertiary and construction sectors.
  • Rural areas: Tourism can mitigate depopulation, revitalize traditional crafts and folklore, and reduce emigration.
  • Historic cities: Tourism contributes to population growth and economic activity.

5.2 Settlement Impact

  • Coastal areas: Tourism leads to the development of new housing structures.
  • Rural and urban areas: Tourism supports the rehabilitation of built heritage.

5.3 Economic Impact

  • Tourism generates employment, requiring a large workforce for tasks that cannot be mechanized. However, much of this employment is seasonal.
  • Tourism has a multiplier effect on other economic activities.
  • Tourism contributes approximately 11% of Spain’s GDP (as of 2003), making it a cornerstone of the country’s economic prosperity.

5.4 Political, Cultural, and Sociological Impacts

  • Tourism fosters intercultural exchange and understanding between nations.
  • Tourism influences local lifestyles, with both positive (e.g., modernization) and negative (e.g., loss of traditions and identity) consequences.
  • Overcrowding and strain on infrastructure can negatively impact the quality of life for residents.

5.5 Impact on Land Use

a) Tourist Areas:

Tourism development often leads to the conversion of land for recreational purposes or service infrastructure. Consequences include:

  • Environmental and landscape changes: Construction in wetlands, quarrying, land movement for transportation, etc.
  • Economic changes: Conversion of agricultural land and growth of tourism-related activities.
  • Conflicts over land use and resources: Loss of farmland to development pressure, water usage conflicts, etc.
b) Historical Tourist Attractions:

These areas often specialize in tourism services, with surrounding suburbs accommodating second homes and hotels to meet demand.

c) Rural Areas:

Tourism can create conflicts with other activities, particularly agriculture, as it can lead to land abandonment and the promotion of tourism-related activities.

5.6 Environmental Impacts

The rapid development of the tourism sector, particularly in the past, often occurred with limited environmental considerations. This resulted in the construction of large apartment blocks and hotels along beaches, uncontrolled urbanization of valuable natural spaces, pollution of beaches and forests, etc. Today, there is a growing emphasis on environmental protection and rehabilitation policies to mitigate these negative impacts.