Tourism in Catalonia

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Catalonia is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world. The region owes this popularity to its contrasting natural landscapes between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean coast on the one hand and its cultural offerings on the other hand, including in the metropolis of Barcelona . In addition, Catalonia's Costa Brava and Costa Daurada coastlines have been renowned travel destinations since the early days of tourism, combining beach and cultural tourism.

In recent years, Catalonia has greatly differentiated its tourist offer and developed tourist programs that meet the special wishes and needs of different guest profiles. There are special offers in the field of sports tourism, for example cycling holidays, particularly family-friendly holiday resorts, offers in the field of rural tourism ( Turismo Rural ), nature and cultural offers in the Pyrenees region, barrier-free tourism and as well as some wine tourism products that Catalonia as a wine region with tradition present.

Economical meaning

Localización de Cataluña

With a share of 12% of the gross domestic product, tourism is one of the main pillars of the Catalan economy. As one of the few sectors that has the prospect of growth even in times of economic crisis, special attention has been paid in recent years to the development of sustainable and quality-centered Catalan tourism. As a consequence, both the number of visitors and the total income from tourism have increased continuously. Catalonia received 30,237,700 visitors in 2014 and income from tourism rose from 12,363,600 euros in 2012 to 15,120,500 euros in 2014.

In the course of the expansion of tourist offers in the interior, which focus on the areas of nature, (mountain) sports, gastronomy and rural tourism, both the number of visitors and the income outside of the high season, which is characterized by beach tourism, could be increased significantly. In 2012, 5,986,600 euros were earned outside of the main season, in 2014 it was already 7,345,300 euros. It is noticeable that the average daily expenditure of foreign tourists in the months of the off-season is significantly higher than in the high season, which is due to the strong differentiation of the offer in the field of individual tourism. While the spending of summer vacationers in August 2014 was around 100 euros per day, the daily expenditures by vacationers rose to up to 140 euros per day in the spring and winter months. In the course of the changes in the tourist offer, the average length of tourist stays increased from 7.2 days in 2012 to 7.5 days in 2014.

With regard to foreign tourism, Europe continues to be the most important market of origin in 2014 with 86.4% of the total number of visitors. The seven classic countries of origin France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Scandinavia, which generate 67.4% of the number of visitors, are of particular importance. The markets of origin Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa combined under the abbreviation BRICS make up 7.3% of the total number of visitors. It is also noteworthy that inland tourism, i.e. travel by Catalans within Catalonia, accounted for around a third of the total number of visitors in 2014. (However, the proportion of total spending on tourist trips for this group is just 6.6 percent.)

Awards

In November 2015, Catalonia was awarded the Biosphere Responsible Tourism seal. This award is given by the ITR (Institute for Responsible Tourism) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council for the sustainable use of natural resources as well as socially inclusive and universally accessible tourism. In 2016, Catalonia was named the European Gastronomy Region. This title reflects the particular attention that Catalonia pays to its culinary culture. This combines traditional Mediterranean cuisine with innovative and sometimes experimental elements and places special emphasis on the high quality of ingredients from regional origins.

History of tourism in Catalonia

Forerunner of tourism

The first forerunners of tourism in Catalonia can be found in the 18th and 19th centuries. At this time there were two groups of travelers in particular who paid a visit to Catalonia in the course of extensive journeys across the Iberian Peninsula : on the one hand, the group of enlightened people who were thirsty for knowledge, who traveled through Catalonia as early as the 18th century, and on the other hand, the group of travelers of the Romantic era which found its way into the country mainly in the 19th century. Both groups quickly came to the conclusion that Catalonia bears little resemblance to the rest of Spain, but they rate this observation very differently: The Enlightenmentists praise the progressiveness of the country and rate the relatively advanced industrialization of Catalonia positively. The romantics, on the other hand, are more likely to be disappointed or disinterested, as the region does not correspond to their idea of ​​authentic Spain.

Catalan excursionism

The true pioneers of tourism in Catalonia, who travel the region with the intention of getting to know and understand the landscape, culture and ways of life, are the Catalans themselves. At the end of the 19th century, the trend of Catalan excursionism developed, which is strongly influenced by two was influenced by other cultural phenomena that developed at the same time: on the one hand, the alpine clubs that had emerged all over Europe and, on the other hand, the movement of the Renaixença , the Catalan Renaissance, whose aim is to revive the Catalan language and culture. The excursionistas established hiking and traveling as a recognized leisure activity. At the same time, they were the ones who discovered the country on behalf of everyone else, drew and photographed it and gave the Catalan natural landscapes and cultural assets a new meaning in the sense of the Renaixença . The Catalan Pyrenees occupy a special place in the landscapes newly discovered by the excursionistas . The wild mountain landscapes, which were little known until then, became part of the routes of Catalan excursionism, following the European model. They owe their anchoring in the collective consciousness above all to the traveling and wandering poet Jacint Verdaguer , who also traveled to the most remote corners of the country and immortalized them in his poems.

Turn of the century health tourism

Towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, an early form of health tourism developed . Its protagonists were aristocrats and later also the Catalan bourgeoisie, who followed the advice of hygiene research and fled the big cities to rural areas in the summer. The establishment of regular train connections made mobility easier and so many summer residences were built first around Barcelona, ​​later in the neighboring provinces and finally in cities such as Camprodón, Viladrau and Puigcerdà. As examples of modernist architecture, they are worth a visit along with the parks that were created at the same time.

Around the same time, the first thermal baths, summer residences and luxury hotels were built in coastal towns.

Domestic tourism before the tourist boom

Before the tourist boom came in the 1960s, domestic tourism had already established itself in Catalonia, not just for the upper class, but also for the middle class. Summer vacations on the beach or, to a lesser extent, in the mountains were common, and ski tourism in the Pyrenees was also slowly increasing at this time. Foreign tourism was still underdeveloped, but film actors and directors began to discover the Costa Brava for themselves, as shown in films such as Pandora and the Flying Dutchman . Stars like Ava Gardner and Orson Welles paid regular visits to the Catalan coast.

The tourist boom of the 1960s and its consequences

Mobile Tourist Office in Tarragona (1962).

The attractive landscapes, the pleasant climate, hotels with a sea view and the significantly lower prices compared to economically more developed countries made the Spanish and especially the Catalan coast a highly attractive and easily accessible travel destination for the middle class in many European countries in the 1960s. With the steadily growing number of tourists, there was a growing number of hotels, restaurants and service providers. They are primarily looking for sun, sea and sand, the cultural offerings of Catalonia were hardly used at this time. Exceptions to this form of mass tourism were places like Cadaqués and Begúr, which positioned themselves as refuge for those who could afford to distance themselves from mass tourism.

Early mass tourism is characterized by the over-exploitation of natural resources and a form of property speculation that divides huge fortunes among a few actors. Nevertheless, tourism is to be seen as the most important motor of the economic development of Spain and Catalonia, the effect of which goes far beyond the direct areas of influence of coastal tourism. At the cultural level, the influence of tourism on opening up the country to Europe should not be underestimated.

By the end of the 20th century at the latest, however, it became apparent that the previous tourism model was not sustainable. A continuous reduction in prices would have been the only way to remain competitive as a tourist destination while maintaining this model. In view of this fact, there is a fundamental change in tourism strategies in Catalonia.

Catalan tourism in the 21st century

In recent years, a tourism oriented towards sustainability and high quality has developed in Catalonia, which has the potential to compensate for the strong seasonal fluctuations in coastal tourism. The focus is on the scenic attractions and the tourist potential of the inland, nature and active tourism, golf tourism, holidays in the countryside, ecotourism and cultural tourism as well as corresponding gastronomic and wine tourism offers.

leisure offers

hike

Catalonia is a traditional hiking region with almost 9,000 kilometers of marked hiking trails. Part of it are long distance hiking trails (GR), which are part of the European network of long distance hiking trails. The remaining hiking routes are classified as regional hiking trails (PR) or local hiking trails (SL).

Some of these trails follow historical routes that were mainly used by pilgrims and refugees. These include the Catalan Way of St. James between Sant Pere de Rodes and Alcarràs, as well as the Way of Ignatius, Camí Ignasià , which leads on Catalan territory from Lleida via Montserrat to Manresa . One of the pilgrimage routes is the Ruta del Cister , which leads to the three most impressive Cistercian abbeys in Catalonia. The Camí dels Bons Homes follows the escape route of the Cathars , who came from France to seek refuge in Catalonia.

The numerous nature parks and nature reserves all have a well-developed network of hiking trails, including many long-distance hiking trails. High mountain hikes such as Carros de Foc in the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park or Porta del Cel in the Alt Pirineu Nature Park lead from mountain hut to mountain hut and traverse the most attractive landscapes of the national and nature parks. The El Cinqué Llac route, which is entirely dedicated to sustainable nature tourism , leads through the Pyrenees landscapes of the Pallars Sobirà region . But there are also hiking opportunities near the metropolis of Barcelona, ​​for example the Els Tres Monts long-distance hiking trail, which connects the three classic nature reserves of Montseny , Sant LLorenc del Munt il'Obac and Montserrat. The Itinerannia hiking trail network runs through central Catalonia and the province of Girona . The entire Catalan coast can be hiked along the Camí de Ronda long-distance hiking trail , although it should be noted that parts of the trail are urban.

To go biking

Racing cyclists will find tours on the Costa Brava, Costa Barcelona and Costa Daurada that are suitable for a wide range of fitness levels from beginners to professionals. They lead through varied natural landscapes into the interior of the country, to well-known sights or to original villages. 5300 kilometers of routes are signposted for mountain bikers, which are spread over 265 routes. There are also 19 quality-tested mountain bike centers that offer tour information, general tourist information, bike rental and bike-related services. In the terrain of these mountain bike centers there are at least 100 km of signposted slopes that are easy to ski on. With the Green Paths (Vies Verdes), cycle paths that run on disused railway lines, Catalonia also offers families and leisure cyclists a network of paths that opens up a wide variety of landscapes from the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees to the Costa Brava and from the Ebro Delta to the Terra Alta.

Culinary

Catalonia's gastronomy is recognized worldwide. In 2015, Girona's top restaurant El Celler de Can Roca was again voted the best restaurant in the world by Restaurant magazine, in 2016 Catalonia is the European Region of Gastronomy and thus receives an award that stands for distinguished dining culture on the one hand and gastronomic sustainability and innovation on the other.

The Hotels Gastronomics rely on regional products and a balanced mix of traditional and innovative cuisine. The Collectius de Cuina are gastronomy associations within which renowned chefs and restaurants from various regions have organized themselves with the aim of protecting and promoting the culinary diversity of their homeland.

Wine tourism

Catalonia can look back on around 2500 years of viticulture. Accordingly, the culture and landscape are strongly influenced by the winemaking tradition. Today there are twelve protected designations of origin (DOs) for Catalan wines: DO Empordà , DO Alella , DO Conca de Barberà , DO Penedès , DO Tarragona , DO Terra Alta , DO Montsant , DO Priorat , DO Coster del Segre, DO Pla de Bages , DO Catalunya and Cava . Wine tourism in Catalonia has been gaining momentum in recent years, which generally combines nature and active holidays in the relevant regions with selected offers from wine tourism. These include tastings in bodegas and walks through the vineyards as well as a visit to a wine spa. Special wine routes lead visitors to the (wine) culture and landscape of the DOs Alella, Empordà, Costers del Segre, Penedès and Priorat. There is also a large number of original offers from small wineries and bodegas. The importance of wine for the entire Catalan culture can also be seen in the so-called cathedrals of wine. These huge wine cellars are prime examples of modernist architecture and another attraction of Catalan wine tourism.

Sports, golf and motorcycle tourism

14 holiday resorts in Catalonia are certified with the DTE seal. The different offers and services are particularly suitable for sports tourists. Catalonia is also a popular holiday destination for golf tourists. The region has a total of 36 golf courses, which also meet the needs of demanding players. Catalonia's top courses include the Empordà Golf Resort on the Costa Brava, the PGA Catalunya Resort, which is only 5 minutes from the Costa Brava-Girona Airport and the Real Club de Golf El Prat, which is in the immediate vicinity of the Sant Llorenç del Munt i L'Obac is located. Catalonia and especially the Catalan Pyrenees are very popular with motorcyclists. The varied landscapes of the Catalan mountains run through winding, little-traveled roads, which are almost without exception in very good condition. The scenic advantages in connection with the reliably mild Mediterranean climate attract bikers from all over the world to the region every year.

Tourist interesting places and sights

Barcelona

Sagrada Familia (2009)

Costa Brava

Costa Brava

Costa Daurada

Serra del Montsant, Tarragona

Tourism marketing

The Catalan Tourist Office ACT (= Agencia Catalana de Turisme), founded in 2010 by the Catalan government, is responsible for the implementation of the official advertising strategies of Catalonia. ACT replaces the Turisme de Catalunya consortium originally responsible for these tasks and is now dedicated to marketing Catalonia as a leading tourism destination. The guiding criteria of their work are quality and economic and social profitability. With the replacement of the Turisme de Catalunya consortium by ACT, the promotion and advertising strategy was realigned. It led to an increased involvement of the private sector, which has now assumed responsibility and specific tasks in the promotion and sale of Catalan tourism products on an international level.

The ACT is thus a public and private institution. It is subordinate to the Ministry of Enterprise and Employment and is composed of representatives from the following institutions: the Generalitat de Catalalunya, the Council of the Catalan Chambers of Commerce, the tourist offices of the provincial administrations of Barcelona, ​​Tarragona, Lleida and Girona and the public-private marketing organization of Catalan capital, Turisme de Barcelona. The tourism organization receives its financial resources from the Ministry of Business and Employment, the chambers of commerce, the promotion organizations of the provincial administrations and private companies.

Web links

Commons : Tourism in Catalonia  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Generalitat de Catalunya: Plan Estratégico de Turismo de Cataluña 2013-2016 y Directrices Nacionales de Turismo 2020 on: empresaiocupacio.gencat.cat on November 8, 2015.
  2. ↑ Observatori d'Empresa i Ocupació: Indicadors bàsics de turisme estranger on: observatoriempresaiocupacio.gencat.cat (last accessed on November 8, 2015).
  3. ↑ Observatori d'Empresa i Ocupació: Indicadors bàsics de turisme estranger on: observatoriempresaiocupacio.gencat.cat (last accessed on November 8, 2015).
  4. ↑ Catalonia becomes the first Biosphere Destination as a whole on: biospheretourism.com, last accessed on January 22, 2016.
  5. ↑ Culturea - LA VANGUARDIA on: lavanguardia.com (last accessed November 8, 2015)
  6. ↑ Jiménez, Sole / Prats, Llorenç: El turismo en Cataluña: Evolución histórica y retos de futuro, pasosonline.org Vol 4 N ° 2 págs. 153-174. 2006, http://www.pasosonline.org/Publicados/4206/PS030206.pdf (last accessed on November 8, 2015)
  7. ↑ Agencia Catalana de Turisme: Ava Gardner y Orson Welles en la Costa Brava: http://www.catalunya.com/rutas/ava-gardner-y-orson-welles-en-la-costa-brava-24-1- 84 (last accessed November 8, 2015)
  8. ↑ Catalonia Tourism: http://katalonien-tourismus.de/category/katalonien-bietet/natur-und-aktivtourismus/radfahren (last accessed on November 8, 2015)
  9. ↑ The World's 50 Best Restaurants: Archived copy ( Memento of the original from January 22, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (last accessed on January 22, 2016) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.theworlds50best.com
  10. ↑ European Region of Gastronomy: http://europeanregionofgastronomy.org/ (last accessed on November 8, 2015)
  11. ↑ Agencia Catalana de Turisme: http://www.catalunya.com/distribuidora.php?code=1.2&language=es (last accessed on November 8, 2015)
  12. ↑ Catalonia Tourism: http://katalonien-tourismus.de/category/katalonien-bietet/weintourismus (last accessed on November 8, 2015)
  13. ↑ Agencia Catalana de Turisme: Archived copy ( Memento of the original from January 22, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (last accessed on November 8, 2015) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.catalunya.com
  14. ↑ Agencia Catalana de Turisme: Archived copy ( Memento of the original from January 22, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (last accessed on November 8, 2015) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.catalunya.com
  15. ↑ Motorbike tours Catalonia: http://www.katalonien-netz.de/168/Katalonien-Motorradtouren.html (last accessed on November 8, 2015)
  16. ↑ Catalan Tourist Board: http://act.gencat.cat/act-about-us/act-about-the-catalan-tourist-board/?lang=en (last accessed on January 22, 2016)