Role of tourism in protected areas development. Deconstructing the myth

Abstract

The link between tourism and rural development has been reinforced by different landplaning framework, as rural development (LEADER Program) or protected spaces management. In the same way, this link is included in the concept of multifunctionality of agricultural holdings. Nevertheless, the role of tourism in the Spanish protected spaces management is not linked to the agrarian bases ought to the application of the former criteria of IUCN Protected Areas Category V: Protected Landscapes/Seascapes that prioritised conservation and environmental education over sustainable development. In this perspective, tourism is linked to public use focused into the protected areas, neglecting the agrarian basis of society and land surrounding the core area. In this communication we analyse the impact of touristic measures both from LEADER PRROGRAM and Natural Park Management Body in the characterization and localization of private touristic services in the Natural Park of Sierra de las Nieves, Málaga, Spain. We use two kinds of sources, statistics and interview to stakeholders. The findings reveal that the pattern of localization of these services is more related to external factors than to both kind of planning. We focus the explanation of these outcomes in the decoupling among measures encouraging touristic activities and agrarian basis of society.