Overview of the research activity

Critical geographies provide an essential epistemological framework to understand complex dynamics between cities, tourism, and sustainability. The spatial analysis of mass tourism regions, such as Spain, which welcomed 87 million international tourists in 2023—17.8 million of them to the Balearic Islands—reveals the significant influence of tourism on coastal and island regions.

The geographical expansion of transnational corporations (TNCs) in the tourism sector, particularly following the Latin American debt crisis of the 1980s, is closely linked to processes of dispossession, including land, water, and beach access. Labour conditions in these regions continue to be shaped by these historical developments.

Key research topics in critical tourism geography include urban studies that explore socio-spatial segregation and inequality, particularly concerning gender, social class, and migration in cities like Las Palmas, Barcelona, and Palma. The study of chronic environmental challenges, such as biodiversity loss, coastal erosion, and carbon footprints, often intersects with efforts to measure and mitigate the impacts of mass tourism. Initiatives like the LINCC, which focus on sustainability, highlight the need for integrated approaches to conservation and tourism development.

Touristification, as the commodification of housing, public spaces, coastlines, and marinas, is a central concern for spatial planning policies. Efforts such as the Next Generation EU funds and the Sustainable Tourism Tax reflect governmental responses to the challenges posed by tourism growth, while also promoting a vision of tourism that pursue boosting more growth.

The social organization of leisure space and time—whether proximity-based, popular, social, convivial, communitarian, or inclusive—forms another critical research area, seeking to understand how tourism intersects with social dynamics and community life in a stronger sustainability bottom-up approach.

A variety of disciplinary approaches inform these discussions, including contributions from art historians, architects, anthropologists, and economists, each providing unique insights into the spatial, cultural, and economic dimensions of tourism.

Furthermore, social engagement and knowledge co-production with local communities and social movements are crucial. Collaborations with organizations such as GOB, SHNB, Alba Sud, and to recognise the right of the Mar Menor highlight the importance of advocacy for local rights in shaping tourism's role in society.

Lastly, networking and fundraising efforts are vital to advancing research and ensuring sustainable tourism practices that benefit both local communities and the broader environment. These interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches underscore the need for a holistic perspective on the geographies of tourism and sustainability.