Cristina NIETO FIGUERAS, Universidad de Málaga, Spain
Francisco José CANTARERO PRADOS, Universidad de Málaga, Spain
Sustainable tourism is an illustrative example of the process of productive diversification carried out in different rural areas of Europe, with the institutional and financial support of the European Union. Among the different European programs of territorial impact, the LEADER Program (Liaison Between Actions de Dévelopment de l’Economie Rurale) has been playing a prominent and recognized role in its five implementation periods.
There are 51 LEADER Rural Zones in the Spanish region of Andalusia, they currently implement 51 Local Development Strategies in their designated territories. More specifically, the Almeria region of Filabres-Alhamilla constitutes one of the clearest examples of sectoral diversification, with sustainable tourism as one of the lines with the greatest potential, linked to natural and heritage resources, which in this space has bet by options linked to experiences such as cinematography, among others.
This work presents the results of a study carried out in that region, which starts from the characterization of the area from the territorial point of view and the associated tourist uses, analyzing endogenous resources: patrimonial, natural and of various types, as well as the initiatives of entrepreneurs related to the use of tourism and promoted by LEADER. In this context, a proposal for a comprehensive, sustainable and employment-generating tourism product is designed.
Keywords: LEADER|Sustainable Tourism|Spain
A103431FC