PROTECTED NATURAL SPACES, TOURISM AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGE. MONFRAGÜE'S (EXTREMADURA, SPAIN) BIOSPHERE RESERVE AND NATIONAL PARK AS AN EXAMPLE

• Published in: Cuadernos de turismo 2021-07 (48), p.557-560
• Main Authors: Berrocal, Felipe Leco, Rodríguez, Ana Beatriz Mateos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Biosphere; Demographics; Disposable income; Economic conditions; Economic diversification; Economics; Employment; Hotels & motels; National parks; Older people; Population decline; Rural areas; Rural development; Tourism; Unemployment
• ISSN: 1139-7861; 1989-4635

In recent decades, protected natural areas have become highly demanded resources by today's societies. These resources have unquestionable social and economic values associated with them (Muñoz Flores, 2008; Corraliza et al., 2002). In this sense, economic diversification is one of the most important current strategies in rural development, especially through tourism (Trillo Santamaría and Paül i Carril, 2018; Muñoz Flores, 2008; Soto Baquero et al., 2007; Delgadillo Macías, 2006; Vacas Guerrero, 2001). The results of the analysis carried out indicate, therefore, that the hopeful expectations that the Administration placed in the declaration of Monfragüe (first as a World Network of Biosphere Reserve in 2003 and, secondly, as a National Park in 2007) have not generated positive synergies in the demographic and socio-economic spheres, and show a very limited capacity to fix the population to the territory (Santos González et al., 2016), as well as to generate employment or even to reaffirm the territorial identity as an asset for rural development