[Economics] Transform tourism to make the economy more resilient

[#Wittels-]

A great effort must be made to invest in energy efficiency, the use of clean energy and the promotion of the circular economy, both in hotel establishments and in destinations

At the beginning of the year, the INE reported that the tourism sector, as a result of the pandemic, had lost its weight in GDP to 5.5% in 2020 compared to 12.4% in 2019. This trend has been reversed in the 2021 The fabulous vaccination campaign, the anticovid protocols, the savings stored during the hardest months of the pandemic and the global economic recovery have allowed the sector to recover a good part of its weight in GDP. This trend is expected to continue this year as a more intense arrival of international travelers is added to the recovery of national tourism. If so, it is expected that the tourism sector will represent around 10% of GDP this year, a trend that could be reinforced in 2023.

 

This high weight of tourism in GDP is consubstantial to Spain due to its climatic conditions and its wealth of heritage. But beyond the debate about what should be the optimal size of the tourism sector in the midst of this commitment to the reindustrialization of European economies in order to make it more resistant to external shocks such as the recent pandemic, the reality is that a reconfiguration of the The tourism industry would already make a very important contribution to both the resilience of the sector and the economy in general.

 

A reconfiguration that is already designed by the Government of Spain and that can receive a strong boost from European funds. In essence, the change implies adapting the industry to a new scenario where the motivations of travellers, increasingly aware of the protection of the environment and the fight against climate change, and increasingly eager for tourism experiences and knowledge, must be fully satisfied. Carrying out this adaptation process successfully requires a powerful use of new technologies.

In this sense, a great effort must be made to invest in energy efficiency, the use of clean energy and the promotion of the circular economy, both in hotel establishments and in destinations, as well as in the care of nature in our environments. More than an added value to the tourist offer, we are talking about an inexcusable condition: given the growing pressure of demand on natural resources and destinations, and the consequent saturation and environmental degradation of certain spaces, or we face the problem of sustainability with determination or we will put at risk the viability of the tourism model and its contribution to the economic and social development of the country.

 

On the other hand, it is necessary to spread our cultural heritage while always preserving its identity as a differentiating element. To make it attractive, it is necessary to integrate physical and virtual elements with new technologies to strengthen the exhibition discourse and offer higher quality products, tailored to the needs of visitors, so that their experience is as unique and complete as possible. . Obtaining quality data and managing it effectively will be essential to be able to develop these necessary products, above all, to promote rural and inland tourism.

 

If we are successful in this adaptation, we will achieve an industry profile that is more committed to the green transition, more diversified and decentralized. This will not only promote the sustainability of the sector, with spaces less saturated and better distributed throughout the country, but above all, it will improve the quality of the contribution of the tourism sector to the Spanish economy in various ways: making coexistence of the tourism with the citizen; breaking the marked seasonality of the sector; creating new business models and higher quality jobs; and distributing in a fairer and more equitable way the benefits that visitors bring both throughout the territory and throughout the entire network of actors who dedicate their lives to inspiring and working for the high tourism values of the Spain brand.

 

Link: https://elpais.com/economia/2022-02-11/transformar-el-turismo-para-hacer-a-la-economia-mas-resiliente.html