THE LOCAL GOVERNANCE OF RURAL TOURISM AS A RESPONSE TO THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Within the tourism industry, rural tourism is an innovative phenomenon that contributes to the revitalization and generation of economic development and social cohesion in many municipalities at risk of demographic involution. Due to the restrictions on mobility and the measures of social distancing that have resulted from the health crisis of COVID-19, it is undoubtedly a sector that has been seriously affected. However, on the other hand, in the context of the health threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and as long as this threat is perceived, it is foreseeable that in the near future, citizens will opt for rural tourism as the least risky option for their leisure and rest destinations, so that the sector faces new challenges and opportunities arising from this new scenario. In this context, our thesis is that in order to face these new challenges, the sector needs to adopt innovative models of governance, of a collaborative nature and which take into account the specificities of each particular destination. To this end, the autonomy of local governments in the design and implementation of public policies for tourism development that are more appropriate to the place must be strengthened. Therefore, from the analytical framework provided by the concept of local governance, and based on a qualitative study, we will analyse networks created "ad hoc" of public, private and third sector actors as a result of the health emergency. We will deal with the reasons for the creation of networks, their impact on existing ones, their main drivers and leadership, the innovations introduced, and the challenges derived from the coordination and management between public and private actors of the new demands made on the rural tourism sector and its integration with other local national and European development policies (Next Generation EU).