THE MANAGEMENT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES IN THE CREATION OF SPANISH TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Abstract

Spain is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world due to the great stream of visitors that arrive seeking sun and sand, historical towns and the great cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla or Bilbao. With more than 52 million foreign visitors and more than 150 million visits by nationals, tourism generates around 10% of the GNP. The relevance of cultural tourism in Spain and its multiple facets makes it interesting yet difficult to study. In this process it is considered of prime importance to identify how cultural resources in the destination are managed and to establish various types that reflect possible activities as well as those that are already in use. Better management patterns are being sought for destinations in order to achieve better quality in visits and a better position for these in an ever more competitive market.