Tourism in Catalonia: historical evolution and future challenges

Abstract

This article features, in a brief introduction, the history, present situation and main future challenges of tourism in Catalonia. Catalonia, as a region, is the first tourist destination in Spain accord- ing to the number of visitors and total income. Its particular geography and socio-cultural characteristics turn Catalonia into an interesting laboratory for studying the evolution of tourism in South Europe. On one hand, Costa Brava, mainly, and Costa Dorada have been a classical destination for ‘sun and beach’ tourism. On the other hand, its mountains and, above all the wide Pyrenean range have also promoted the development of winter tourism, which has reached its peak in Baqueria-Beret winter sports resort, and has forwarded the introduction of country tourism and adventure tourism. Cultural tourism, finally, which has always counted on complementary incentives such as the Roman city of Tarraco, the Greco- Roman archaeological site of Ampurias, the singularities of Montserrat or the works of Dalí, Picasso, Miró… has strongly taken off in Barcelona since the last restructuring and promotion of the city, because of the Olympic Games in 1992. All these facts make tourism a key sector in Catalonia, around which momentous debates take place, not always, perhaps, with the needed strict criteria. That is why we feel convenient to offer this panoramic view, which in its modest scope, may allow scholars in other parts of the world to have some essential information on this matter.