Spain is been considered one of the most important and attractive tourist destinations in the world. In the context of tourism development, Spain has become one of the country’s main sources of income, and the tourism sector contributes to the employment of many people: in 2019 tourism accounted for 12% of the national GDP and employment in this industry was 13%. However, the processes of globalization and the development of tourism have led to the problem of overtourism, and overcrowding in many Spanish cities. It is causing social, environmental and cultural damage. The second decade of the 20th century brought an increase in the number of tourists visiting this country, and this trend has not decreased despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the speech is to present the perspectives and challenges related to the globalization of tourism and overtourism in Spain, and to present ways to sustainable tourism management in order to minimize its negative effects. Sustainable tourism management strategies and practices will be discussed, such as reducing the number of tourists, diversifying the tourist offer, protecting cultural and environmental heritage, and participating local communities in the life of the city. Examples of activities undertaken by Spanish cities for sustainable tourism management and statistical data to describe the phenomenon of mass tourism will also be presented. The research also presents individual tourist regions of Spain in order to redefine the concept of a Spanish tourist destination. _x000D_
Małgorzata Szymiczek – student at the Doctoral School of the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, at the Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management. Graduated of Spanish philology with cultural studies and had a degree in tourism economy. She had a scholarship in the Erasmus+ program at the University of Cadiz, Spain. In her research, she focuses on the regionalization of tourism in Spain and the impact of tourism in country.
Malgorzata Szymiczek
University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
ID Abstract: 410
