Periódico: Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research
Fonte: Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research; Vol 6 No 1 (2023): Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research; 359-375
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Resumo: Usually, when talking about tourism in rural areas that suffer from depopulation, it is understood that their rural tourism is concentrated in agrotourism and nature tourism. However, the data has revealed that cultural tourism, and specifically archeology tourism, has provided a notable incentive. By highlighting the value of cultural heritage, visitors are offered not only one more tourist resource to enjoy, but also one from which they can learn and discover the history of a culture or people. All of this, with the imperative social component that it entails, such as preserving, maintaining and conserving so that future generations can continue to enjoy it and learn about its history. In this context, the tourist not only appreciates a monument, park or archaeological site, but also immerses himself in the original culture of that place.
This study will focus on a specific geographical framework, located in one of the most depopulated areas in all of Europe, such as the Serranía Celtibérica (Spain), being the part occupied by the province of Cuenca the one chosen for this research. The impact on rural development will be analyzed, just before and after the scenario caused by covid-19, from the exploitation of parks and archaeological sites as tourist resources located in unpopulated rural areas. The object of study will be to prove that cultural tourism through archaeological heritage can be an important incentive not only for a rural area, but for all its surroundings.