Governance towards sustainable tourism development in Barcelona : Community participation perspective
Gulyaeva, Yulia (2022)
Gulyaeva, Yulia
2022
Master's Programme in Leadership for Change
Johtamisen ja talouden tiedekunta - Faculty of Management and Business
This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2022-11-08
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202210247774
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202210247774
Tiivistelmä
Sustainability in tourism and the approaches to support sustainable tourism development and growth have become particularly important concerns nowadays. This reflects in the spread of awareness of the notion of mass tourism and its negative impacts on local communities, the economy, and city living to begin with. Therefore, this thesis explores how tourism is managed effectively using appropriate governance and other approaches. The research topic is tourism governance and sustainable development in the tourism industry. More specifically, it focused on one geographical area, Barcelona, Spain, where the issue of overtourism and the need to manage it sustainably and with due concern is most prevalent. Barcelona was chosen as an interesting location because it represents the current challenge example of overtourism phenomena, which is important to investigate.
The methods of data analysis include documentary analysis of published articles in local Spain news channels. Three news channels were chosen to analyze written materials on sustainability, tourism, and governance. The news sites chosen were Barcelona Metropolitan, Spain in English, and El País. In summary, 15 articles were collected. Content analysis was the main strategy for data analysis. It elicited several key themes. These were sustainable solutions, conscious travellers, governmental initiatives, and post-covid sustainable Barcelona.
The results indicate that from a viewpoint of local news channels, Barcelona’s government is well aware of the overtourism issue and is acting to support its city and residents. In turn, residents are too considering the issue of overtourism to be a serious challenge, yet it is seen as a mass-tourism issue that must be addressed. The industry has also been ultimately transformed by the global pandemic, which has left its remarks on it. It will be a journey to recovery, in which a new kind of traveller, conscious and responsible, will act towards a more sustainable future for all.
The methods of data analysis include documentary analysis of published articles in local Spain news channels. Three news channels were chosen to analyze written materials on sustainability, tourism, and governance. The news sites chosen were Barcelona Metropolitan, Spain in English, and El País. In summary, 15 articles were collected. Content analysis was the main strategy for data analysis. It elicited several key themes. These were sustainable solutions, conscious travellers, governmental initiatives, and post-covid sustainable Barcelona.
The results indicate that from a viewpoint of local news channels, Barcelona’s government is well aware of the overtourism issue and is acting to support its city and residents. In turn, residents are too considering the issue of overtourism to be a serious challenge, yet it is seen as a mass-tourism issue that must be addressed. The industry has also been ultimately transformed by the global pandemic, which has left its remarks on it. It will be a journey to recovery, in which a new kind of traveller, conscious and responsible, will act towards a more sustainable future for all.