What are the benefits of promoting ecotourism in Spain?

Answer 1

In order to answer this question, first we must look at the tourist situation as it has developed in the recent past. Spain is the second most popular tourist destination in the world and last year (2007) it received 59.2 million visitors. (Spain ministry of tourism figures). A huge proportion of the economy of Spain is based upon tourism and generally this has been developed as the "sun sea and sangria holidays" of the Mediterranean Beaches. Golf has also created a huge economy as well. This type of unsustainable tourism development with uncontrolled hotel building and golf course construction has resulted in the destruction of hundreds of miles of pristine coastline habitat and sea pollution. The golf courses are built upon virgin Mediterranean countryside and have in many cases been responsible for sucking the water courses and aquifers to a critical point causing localised water shortages and even desertification. Non endemic plants and animals brought into these urbanised areas have escaped into the wild and are also causing habitat damage in many areas. This huge list of habitat destruction is too numerous to mention in this brief answer but suffice it to say that the tourism industry in Spain as it stands today is an unsustainable environmental catastrophe aimed at cheap sunshine holidays and get rich quick attitudes. However, the current positive development of nature and eco tourism in Spain is gaining much ground. Illegal buildings are being demolished and new unsustainable projects are being shelved. Finally Spain is taking a step in the right direction to protect its natural beauty and future as the leader in European eco tourism. This is because the interior of Spain is a valuable environmental jewel of Europe containing an incredibly diverse array of ecosystems and wildlife. Endemic plants and rare birds and mammals are resident in this hotspot of south Western Europe and by promoting this aspect of Spain large areas of land can be better protected and funded by the revenue produced by nature tourism. (See the discussion forum of Iberian nature www.iberianatureforum.com for up to date information on the protection of the nature of Iberia). Diminishing rural communities have been in a process of abandonment over the last 30 years or so with the working population moving to the coastal areas for better paid work in the unsustainable coastal tourism industry. These abandoned country areas are now being revitalised as people realise that their own home area of outstanding natural beauty also has a financial value and that a better, more fulfilling way of life is achievable. Service industries are quickly created in these areas such as small eco friendly hotels and guest houses with walking guides and various nature holiday enterprises. This makes a difference to the economy of these areas and people very soon discover many benefits to this more sustainable way of life (See www.wildsideholidays.com for many examples of rural and nature tourism in Spain). People start to return from the heavily built up areas to the towns and villages of their births and can now find work and live a more satisfied life amongst a more caring community. Wildlife in all areas benefit from this better understanding of the environment and local schools become active in the protection of localised eco systems educating the future generation on the importance of protecting any natural asset. As Spain is one of the most important sites for the huge North South migration of bird life the development of an environmentally aware tourism system also has a knock on effect to those migrating birds that breed across the whole of Northern Europe.

Answer 2

it helped to set up public and private nature preserves