The transformation of tourism. The post-COVID-19 traveler. The new consumer
Spain has gone from trying to limit mass tourism, which was drowning its cities, to start thinking about policies to attract tourists. From almost 85 million visitors in 2019 to practically zero. This is, by far the worst crisis that international tourism has faced since records began. After an unprecedented moment of zero tourism, the recovery of the industry requires the definition of a new model based on highly digitalised management. The new tourist demands much more sustainable services and products than those we knew about until now. It also requires that tourists’ real impact on the environment can be measured and tested. So, how do we rebuild a sector that accounts for 12% of the domestic GDP?