Spanish Tourism Typology: Coastal, Urban and Rural Destinations

Typology and Tourist Interests

Typology and tourist interests. Spaces have a fairly high influx of tourists (or national and foreign visitors). Destinations are grouped by their tourism profile: areas of high tourism are given to sun and beach (the Balearic and Canary Islands and the Mediterranean and peninsular coastline) and cultural tourism (Madrid). Destinations of medium density include the northern coasts and sightseeing in the peninsula.

There exist northern and isolated destinations (ski resorts, rural tourism and historic cities). According to their use in qualifying for tourism, they may be developed with medium seasonality, superior to stabilize, or tourism with punctual views related to extended heritage and historical tourist interests.

Sun, Coast and Beach

The Balearic and Canary Islands and the peninsular Mediterranean have in common the first important tourism flow based on their climate and beaches. However, there are differences in accessibility, which determines the "gaps" that explain the existence of poor road and air communications with the origin of the tourist areas.

• Catalonia benefits from its international airport and proximity to Europe by road, while the points of the coastal strip that are isolated by the Mediterranean Highway create gaps in the tourist model.
• The occupation of space is a concern: tourist accommodation can be integrated into urban structures, or new settlements may arise, resulting in real estate operations that depend on the type, quality and clientele of the accommodation.

Other Tourist Interests

The diffusion of tourism has intensified spatially in several directions:

• Rural tourism has grown in proximity to urban areas.
• Interior tourism is seen as an opportunity to develop a strategy of economic diversification.
• There is a need to restructure traditional spaces and to incorporate tourism into the coastal area.
• The quality of new attractions and demand on the part of the public drive the creation of new tourism areas, such as Madrid as a cultural tourism destination and a hub for conventions and congresses.
• The Cantabrian coast offers gastronomy, cliffs and unspoiled interiors and natural landscapes.
• Rural landscapes and rural tourism centre on private accommodation and a wide range of leisure and sports activities related to nature resorts.
• Ski tourism is based in historic cities with snow.
• Artistic and cultural tourism allows visits to museums and monuments.