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. 2021 Feb 14;18(4):1859.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041859.

Tourism and Sustainability in Times of COVID-19: The Case of Spain

Libertad Moreno-Luna  1 , Rafael Robina-Ramírez  1 , Marcelo Sánchez-Oro Sánchez  1 , José Castro-Serrano  2
Affiliations

Tourism and Sustainability in Times of COVID-19: The Case of Spain

Libertad Moreno-Luna et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to study the effects of the spread of the COVID-19 virus in different regions and its impact on the economy and regional tourist flows. To this end, the researchers have been guided by a set of propositions which they have tried to demonstrate with the results obtained. This research shows that the impact of the pandemic is still being evaluated. The analysis of the relationship between the tourism sector and the pandemic outbreak in Spain provides an instructive case study to assist tourism in its recovery process. The paper delves into the impacts on the main Spanish touristic regions during the pandemic and providing implications for tourism recovery. In Spain, the tourism sector is of major economic importance, becoming one of the most vulnerable countries when crisis affects this industry. The negative image of the country due to the high infection rates has had a negative impact on travel and tourism. The Balearic Islands have been the most affected region with an 87% decrease in tourist visitors. The trips made by Spanish residents inside the Spanish territory shows the first increase found in the series analyzed. Domestic tourism not only represents an opportunity for all regions in this critical situation, but the types of accommodation also play a key role.

Keywords: COVID-19; Spain; domestic tourism; economy; environment; residents; seasonality; society; sustainability; tourism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Tourists arrivals decrease in 2020 by world regions. Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) January 2021.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Spanish regions (Comunidades Autónomas). Source: Own elaboration.
Figure 3
Figure 3
COVID-19 confirmed cases and GDP variations in Spain per region. AN: Andalucía; AR: Aragón; AS: Asturias; CA: Canarias; CN: Cantabria; CM: Castilla-La Mancha; CL: Castilla y León; CT: Cataluña; MA: Comunidad de Madrid; VA: Comunidad Valenciana; EX: Extremadura; GA: Galicia; IB: Islas Baleares; RI: La Rioja; NA: Navarra; PV: País Vasco; MU: Región de Murcia. Source: Own elaboration from SEPE, INE and CNE data.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The inter-annual variation rates of tourist arrivals in the second quarter of 2020. Source: Own elaboration from INE data.
Figure 5
Figure 5
International tourism hotel occupancy. Source: Own elaboration from INE data.
Figure 6
Figure 6
International tourism apartments occupancy. Source: Own elaboration from INE data.
Figure 7
Figure 7
International tourism rural accommodation occupancy. Source: Own elaboration from INE data.
Figure 8
Figure 8
International tourism camping occupancy. Source: Own elaboration from INE data.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Domestic tourism hotels occupancy. Source: Self-made from INE data.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Domestic tourism apartments occupancy. Source: Self-made from INE data.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Domestic tourism rural occupancy. Source: Self-made from INE data.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Domestic tourism camping occupancy. Source: Self-made from INE data.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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