Towards the infinity and beyond? Tourism governance and planning in urban Andalusia, Spain

Keywords: Overtourism, state theory, urban planning, local governance, Andalusia.
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 08:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 09:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 30

Abstract

Andalusia, southern Spain, is one of the most impoverished regions in the country and the EU. For decades, its economic growth has been sustained on real estate and tourism development. After the 2008 financial crisis and the neoliberal austerity regime imposed across the continent, government efforts focused entirely on attracting visitors, while the sector was growing worldwide lubricated by capital investment, for example, in new hospitality options such as short-term rentals. Tourism became the unquestionable development option as though it had limitless growth possibilities. Visitors increased exponentially, especially in urban destinations, sparking debates around touristification and overtourism following social movements’ claims. When Covid-19 interrupted global mobilities, Andalusia’s profound dependency on tourism was evident. Instead of reflecting upon the subaltern nature of the economy, undertourism brought the opposite effect: the understanding of tourism as the only way out of the crisis. Local and regional governments have delved into expanding the sector, rolling out different strategies already during the first months of the pandemic. This paper traces local and regional governance in Andalusia, studying policy documents and urban planning the years before and during Covid-19. The focus is set on the region’s main touristic cities: Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Granada, and Seville. Drawing on Poulantzas’ and Jessop’s state theory, the argument revolves around tourism growth as a dominant ideology that solidifies class structures, exploring the role of public institutions. The goal is to question tourism as an accumulation strategy that exploits cultures and cities and, ultimately, whether tourism can exist beyond capitalism.