TOURIST MASSIFICATION IN NATURAL SPACES: THE CASE OF THE DELTA DEL EBRO NATURAL PARK IN TIMES OF COVID-19

ABSTRACT

In the context of the health, social and economic emergency generated by COVID-19, proximity tourism is presented as a salvation for the tourism sector, plunged into an unprecedented crisis since the beginning of the pandemic. This circumstance has caused a large increase in visitors to natural spaces, causing overcrowding problems on specific days for which extraordinary measures have been taken to organize and control public use. Thus, the objective of this research is to analyze the conflicts produced by the growth of tourism in natural spaces and the challenges and contradictions posed by proximity tourism. The case study is the Ebro Delta Natural Park, for which a series of practical visitor flow management measures are proposed that may be useful in the short and long term. Based on a bibliographic review and the pertinent analysis, the conclusion is reached that the stoppage of tourism may represent a turning point and an opportunity to create a more respectful tourism model.