Gestión turística en ciudades históricas. Santiago de Compostela

Abstract

The historical city centres that, at least in Spain, suffered during a good part of the second half of the 20th century a process of abandonment and degradation have become demanded tourism destinations. As a result, it is taking place an accelerated expulsion of residents and activities not linked to tourism, thus, the application of public policies are more necessary than ever. In this article, we will focus on the case of Santiago de Compostela, its tourism and urban development, the problems associated with it and the solutions proposed. The convergence of the generalized growth of urban tourism with the recovery of the Jacobean pilgrimage movement and the declaration of Santiago as a World Heritage Site (WHS) turned Compostela into a desired city for tourism. During the latest decades, there has been a significant increase in this activity. However, this whole process cannot be understood without considering the policies related to both urban planning and tourism. This text will address the most relevant aspects of both and their consequences on tourism development. At the same time, new problems have arisen that pose important challenges for public management.