Urban Planning and Tourism: challenges and opportunities in a transforming sector
Experts in the field analyze the need for regulation, investment, and strategic planning to balance tourism development with urban life
Óscar Perelli, Executive Vice President of Exceltur; Rafael Ariño, partner in Administrative and Regulatory Law at Ceca Magán Abogados; Javier Martín Merino, partner in Real Estate and Urban Planning at Andersen; and Francisco Javier Aragón,Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Forum at Camilo José Cela University.
by mercedes galán
Spanish cities face an increasing challenge: tourism continues to grow at an unstoppable pace, but coexistence with residents is becoming more difficult. The proliferation of tourist accommodations, the overcrowding of certain neighborhoods, and the difficulties in adapting urban planning regulations have turned this issue into an urgent matter.
In this context, experts in the sector analyzed the key factors for achieving a sustainable balance between urban planning and tourism in Spain during the Tourism Law Congress held by the Madrid Bar Association (ICAM) on January 21 and 22. Among the discussion panels, one of the most notable addressed the relationship between urban planning and tourism, moderated by Carlos Ulecia, General Counsel of Minor Hotels and Co-Chair of ICAM’s Tourism Section. Various industry experts examined how tourism growth and its impact on urban planning present key challenges for sustainability and coexistence in major Spanish cities.
THE GROWTH OF TOURISM AND ITS IMPACT ON URBAN PLANNING
One of the main challenges facing the tourism sector in Spain is the massive increase in visitors and its balance with residents’ daily lives. “New short-term rental platforms have expanded accommodation capacity, but they have also caused overpopulation in key areas,” said Óscar Perelli, Executive Vice President of Exceltur.
In this regard, urban planning regulation is essential to prevent conflicts in coexistence. “It is crucial to define what each destination wants to be from a tourism perspective and adapt regulations to its specific needs,” Ulecia pointed out. However, the rigidity of current legislation makes transformation and investment in the sector difficult, hindering its evolution.
REPURPOSING SPACES: FROM OFFICES TO HOTELS AND HOUSING
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