Tourism in Spain: Evolution, Model, Impacts, and Challenges
Tourism in Spain
Importance of Tourism
Factors influencing tourism in Spain include:
- Physical: Climate, coastline length, scenic beauty, hunting and fishing opportunities, and the existence of mineral waters.
- Historical: Cultural Heritage.
- Economic: Price.
Evolution of Tourism in Spain
Modern tourism in Spain began in the early 1850s. By 1960, visitor numbers exceeded 6 million, marking the start of a period of rapid growth that lasted until 1973. This period established the mass tourism model, characterized by the construction of hotels and apartments, leading to the rapid development of coastal areas. The growth was halted in 1973 due to the economic crisis and rising oil prices. A new growth phase began in 1976 and continued until 1989, with Spaniards increasingly participating in sun and beach tourism. In 2007, Spain reached 59 million tourists, making it the second most popular tourist destination globally.
Features of the Spanish Tourism Model
- Issuing Country: Tourists primarily come from the European Union, with the US and Japan’s importance declining. Spain has become an intra-European tourist destination.
- Predominant Model: Sun and beach tourism is the dominant model, focused on leisure and relaxation. Holiday schedules are influenced by the swimming season, employment dates, and school holidays, leading to saturation of transport and hospitality sectors in July and August.
- Tourism of Retired Persons: Both national and international retirees are increasingly alternating their stays at the coast with their usual residence. Holiday periods vary (spring, summer, Christmas).
- Tourist Infrastructure: Spain has over 10,000 hotels and hostels, accommodating 1.1 million people, along with campsites, apartments, and other establishments.
Regions and Tourist Areas
Mediterranean communities account for 67.4% of Spain’s total tourist accommodations. Factors contributing to the uneven distribution of tourist areas include:
- Accessibility: Lack of transport infrastructure connecting destinations with origin points (e.g., Murcia and Almeria coastlines). Air transport is crucial for tourism in the islands and the Costa del Sol.
- Social Image: Some Spanish cities have been perceived as summer destinations since the 19th century, attracting national clientele (e.g., Malaga and Alicante in the Mediterranean, San Sebastian and Santander in Cantabria).
- Land Use: Prior land use influenced tourism development. Irrigated areas resisted tourism, while rain-fed areas embraced it.
Other Tourist Areas
Andalusia has seen rapid growth in coastal tourism in recent decades, ranking third in hotel accommodations. Two main areas:
- Interior: Jaen, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, attracting tourists due to their historical cities.
- Coastal: The Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts.
Tourism Issues
- Spatial Concentration: The concentration of tourists in specific areas can lead to bottlenecks due to saturation or decline in popularity. Social, economic, or political changes can also significantly impact tourism.
- Seasonality: Sun and beach tourism is seasonal. Diversification of attractions is being pursued to address this, including winter tourism, winter sports, cultural tourism, congresses and conventions, senior tourism, sports tourism (golf), rural tourism, and ecotourism.
- Colonialism: The influence of large international agencies can be detrimental to local tourism development.
Consequences of Tourism
- Economic: Tourism contributes significantly to GDP and the balance of payments, promoting Spanish products and facilitating exports. It also creates jobs and stimulates demand in various sectors. It can be a tool for regional development, revitalizing underdeveloped areas.
Impact of Tourism
Tourism can exacerbate regional imbalances in population density and income levels. It also modifies spaces:
- Positive: Construction and improvement of infrastructure, development of previously deserted landscapes.
- Negative: Lack of planning can lead to environmental degradation and pollution. Destruction of heritage can be a major factor in the decline of tourism. Increased demand for water resources in semi-arid areas (e.g., golf courses) can strain resources. Landscape destruction and beach encroachment are also concerns.