The concept of tourism carrying capacity has been widely reported in the literature since the early sixties of the twentieth century. However, its application in cultural resources and destinations has lower asset development. This... more
The concept of tourism carrying capacity has been widely reported in the literature since the early sixties of the twentieth century. However, its application in cultural resources and destinations has lower asset development. This article presents the development of scientific approaches to study tourism carrying capacity, focusing on approaches that have guided the positioning of international agencies feel doctrine in the field of heritage tourism management (ICOMOS, the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO and the World Tourism Organization). Presents itself a methodology for the preparation of studies of carrying capacity in cultural tourist resources, and shows its application in two great monuments of Spain: the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the Royal Collegiate Church of San Isidoro of Leon.
The increase in the influx of tourists to heritage sites as well as the responsibility of preserving them has made it essential to clearly understand the carrying capacity thresholds. Even though it is a simple concept which has been... more
The increase in the influx of tourists to heritage sites as well as the responsibility of preserving them has made it essential to clearly understand the carrying capacity thresholds. Even though it is a simple concept which has been widely discussed in scientific literature, there are many definitions of tourist carrying capacity. This makes it difficult to find a methodology which can be applied to the specific characteristics of each case. In tourist areas of historical heritage there have been only a scarce few studies conducted on carrying capacity, however those responsible for their management have a constantly increasing need to better understand it. Therefore, this article develops a variety of methodological reflections and it also examines how they can be applied to tourist areas of this nature, analyzing the carrying capacity of the Carmona (Seville, Spain) Archeological Sites.
Cultural heritage is very important for tourist development in Spain. Never-theless, the tourist flows are concentrated on a limited set of monuments: cathedral, castles and fortresses, monasteries, abbeys, museums holding historic... more
Cultural heritage is very important for tourist development in Spain. Never-theless, the tourist flows are concentrated on a limited set of monuments: cathedral, castles and fortresses, monasteries, abbeys, museums holding historic buildings and archaeological sites. These sites pose a specific tourism issues associated with growth of visitor flows: com-patibility of uses, risk of congestion, impacts on heritage and environment, etc. The Collegiate Church of San Isidoro de Leon is one of the most important tourist monuments in Castilla and Leon. It exemplifies the complexities of the tourism management at multifunctional heritage buildings.
During the last years an increasing interest is stated by the “cultural tourism”, a tourist modality of difficult definition and delimiting. Depending on the approach adopted to delimit the concept of “culture”, it is possible to realize... more
During the last years an increasing interest is stated by the “cultural tourism”, a tourist modality of difficult definition and delimiting. Depending on the approach adopted to delimit the concept of “culture”, it is possible to realize an approximation to the study of the cultural tourism from two complementary perspectives: in agreement with the motivations of trip or on the basis of the activities or tourist practices realized during the travel. The analysis of the tourist outbound flows (realized on a national scale and in relation to the Community of Madrid) allows to state that the displacements of cultural motivation represent a small part of the tourist market, though the number of tourists who carry out cultural activities turns out to be very high. “Culture” is present in trips of very different type, though the analysis of the realized practices allows to identify different forms of cultural consumption depending on the type of effected trip.
UNESCO has been calling for the development of management plans at World Heritage Sites. Tourism is a key factor in these plans due to the high influx of tourists to the sites listed. Tourism is present in the various methodological... more
UNESCO has been calling for the development of management plans at World Heritage Sites. Tourism is a key factor in these plans due to the high influx of tourists to the sites listed. Tourism is present in the various methodological guidelines developed in some states and it is also a recurring theme in many of the plans that affect economic spaces more complex, case of historic cities and cultural landscapes. This article presents in detail the treatment of tourism in the Management Plan of Aranjuez Cultural Landscape. This plan shares methodological approach to the tools being developed in other Spanish cities with a strong tradition of urban planning. However, urban planning has serious limitations when contemplating the activities related to tourism and recreational activities in a comprehensive manner.
Cities including in the List of Cultural World Heritage (UNESCO) from Spain constitute referring a basic modal for urban and cultural tourism. During the last years the changes happened in the tourist panorama (growth of the tourist... more
Cities including in the List of Cultural World Heritage (UNESCO) from Spain constitute referring a basic modal for urban and cultural tourism. During the last years the changes happened in the tourist panorama (growth of the tourist flows, changes in the profile of the demand, increase of the competing destinations) open a stage of transformation in the model of public intervention for local scale. The infrastructures of tourist management are increasingly complex and their ability to act growing. However, there are doubts about its ability to influence and change the global dynamics of the city as a tourist destination
The tourism comes raising during the last years like an economic alternative for the rural world whereas activity that complements the rents of these spaces, deeply affected by the depopulation and the crisis of the traditional agrarian... more
The tourism comes raising during the last years like an economic alternative for the rural world whereas activity that complements the rents of these spaces, deeply affected by the depopulation and the crisis of the traditional agrarian productive model. Valle del Tietar, in the province of Ávila, counts on one long tourist tradition, although the development of the sector is put under a process of accelerated change marked by aspects of important consequences for the territorial development of the zone: growth accused of the supply of rural lodging and companies of tourist services related to the nature tourism, process of integration of this commercial supply, increase of the competition of the destinies of rural tourism and defendant contradiction between the conditions of development of two tourist modalities of difficult connects: the second residence (based on the city-planning expansion of the municipalities) and the rural tourism (that it requires of the conservation of the landscaping and environmental values of the zone).
Los Reales Sitios españoles poseen una riqueza patrimonial, arquitectónica y paisajística que los diferencia del conjunto de los destinos patrimoniales del país. Desde el punto de visita turístico se configuran como destinos consolidados... more
Los Reales Sitios españoles poseen una riqueza patrimonial, arquitectónica y paisajística que los diferencia del conjunto de los destinos patrimoniales del país. Desde el punto de visita turístico se configuran como destinos consolidados que atraen gran número de visitantes. Sin embargo, su proximidad a Madrid les ha convertido en destinos de paso con un fuerte peso del componente excursionista. Este hecho, unido a otros factores (diversificación de las motivaciones de los visitantes, aumento de las segundas visitas, signos de madurez y agotamiento de su producto turístico tradicional...) está induciendo a los municipios donde se ubican los Reales Sitios a reestructurar los planteamientos con los que abordan la gestión turística local.
Based on a research project that addresses the problems associated with territorial coope- ration and development strategies in Spain, this article describes the importance of protected areas as instruments of territorial management,... more
Based on a research project that addresses the problems associated with territorial coope- ration and development strategies in Spain, this article describes the importance of protected areas as instruments of territorial management, particularly when development requires a balance among ecological, economic and social factors. In this context, protected areas vita- lize attention to resources and innovation, especially in territories that face critical situations. The first part of the article deals with a brief analysis of the state of protected areas on a national and regional level and describes the present extent of protected areas in Spain and the future increase in acreage projected under the Natura 2000 Network program. Following this introductory section, significant problems are highlighted including the profuse and chaotic typology of protected areas, the restricted effectiveness of planning instruments and environmental management, and the limited integration of these tools in the socio-economic development of the territory in which the protected habitat is located. A more in-depth study of these issues is provided through an analysis of national parks. These protected lands represent some of the most relevant typologies in Spain with the highest legal protection, and possess a long and consolidated management history. The article ends with a discussion of several key ideas that address the need and the opportunity to harmonize protected areas and territorial development.
The organized tourist group, whether driven by travel agencies or other entities, constitutes a basic formula of cultural tourism. However, this is a kind of travel rather little known, whose traits are subsumed within the general... more
The organized tourist group, whether driven by travel agencies or other entities, constitutes a basic formula of cultural tourism. However, this is a kind of travel rather little known, whose traits are subsumed within the general characteristics of the visitor who comes to cultural resources and destinations. This article presents the methodology and partial results of a study on visitor to the Archaeological Site of Medina Azahara / Madinat al-Zahra (Cordova), in particular matters relating to this type of tourist travel (dynamics, composition, timing, etc.). Based on the experience gained in this and other projects, proposes a new way of structuring content relating to the organizational form of travel in order to be used in local market studies.
In the context of the technological and informational revolution, as a result of the economic and social globalization, tourism has been one of the areas that has quickly incorporated technological improvements in order to adapt to the... more
In the context of the technological and informational revolution, as a result of the economic and social globalization, tourism has been one of the areas that has quickly incorporated technological improvements in order to adapt to the territory. It is important to have an understanding of the realities associated with the creation of the tourist space and their transformation processes. Therefore, the work of the geographer is key in the education and the technical and professional areas. The commitment to the professionalism and quality of the Spanish tourism sector was recognized with the approval of the University Degree in Tourism. The program reflects the importance of the knowledge of the numerous subjects. This new degree has shown the need for specific teaching resources. Moreover, that is why the BIG- tourism project was presented, an interactive application based on the creation of an image bank and enriched with supplementary materials. Its goal is to become a source of reference when studying topics related with the Geography of Tourism. The generation of materials which are available online, through a ArcGIS online platform (WebGIS) and a Webpage, allows for an active collaboration between teachers and students, encouraging the search for information, the diversification of activities and the development of skills and abilities.
The concept of tourism carrying capacity has been widely reported in the literature since the early sixties of the twentieth century. However, its application in cultural resources and destinations has lower asset development. The... more
The concept of tourism carrying capacity has been widely reported in the literature since the early sixties of the twentieth century. However, its application in cultural resources and destinations has lower asset development. The Monumental Site of La Alhambra y Generalife (Granada, España) represents a singular case of application of this concept as general regulatory beginning of the public visit. In this text there is realized an analysis of the measures that try to make this concept operative for a tourist - cultural management centred on the safeguard
The Maya area is an important tourist region for cultural tourism in Latin America. There is substantial scientific literature on the area. However there are few studies about tourist flows and visitor profile. This article describes the... more
The Maya area is an important tourist region for cultural tourism in Latin America. There is substantial scientific literature on the area. However there are few studies about tourist flows and visitor profile. This article describes the methodology used to quantify and characterize the flow of visiting the Archaeological Park of Copán in Honduras. It also details the results. First it notes the basic characteristics of the visit (timing, form of travel arrangements, etc..). Following the identification of the major components of the tourist flow is addressed, from the joint consideration of multiple grouping criteria. Such data are important for the proper management of cultural attractions and also to design coherent strategies for tourism evelopment.
