frigiliana
The one who possibly is is coming the most unusual summer of our lives . We have stopped marking with an X the days that remain on the calendar until our summer vacation because everything is still up in the air. The desire to get out of the city, to enjoy vacations or simply the sheer pleasure of traveling they have intensified almost as much as the feeling that accompanies us every day: uncertainty.
RURAL TOURISM AS AN ALTERNATIVE
What has become clear is that the beautiful photo that the coronavirus is leaving us has invited many Spaniards to change the chip for this summer . Because many are going to change the sky bridge through the village house and the beach through the forest . In fact, rural tourism began to be activated at the time when the first provinces went to phase 1 of the de-escalation . To this day, there some optimism in the sector, although it will not be enough to fill the gap left by foreign tourism, which, even if it returns, will become less than in recent years.
Rural tourism prepares for a strange summer
We find ourselves before a strange situation, even more so if we look at the so-called most beautiful villages in Spain, a possible objective of a large part of Spanish travelers It is that this year they will look for a healthy, economical and safe alternative. The uncertainty has also reached that other brand of Spain that, even though it is more vulnerable than any coastal destination in our country, has managed to reinvent itself and face this complicated situation while being faithful to one of its principles: The sustainability.
A curious fact about the most beautiful villages in Spain is that are able to generate profits thanks to their responsible self-management system . If the Government of Spain authorizes them to use part of the remainder they have, our most precious peoples will be able to face social aid that will allow them to get ahead. And they need it.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPAIN ASKS FOR HELP
The pandemic has reached us all, even in the most sheltered corners of our country. From the beginning, the most beautiful towns in Spain, through the Association, put on the table the need for economic aid to also reach rural Spain, the most neglected part of our country and with the greatest risk of depopulation.
That national tourism opts to a certain extent for the Rural environment it's very positive though they arouse misgivings every time images appear on the television news of tourist areas where security measures are conspicuous by their absence. The most beautiful villages in Spain have started their own campaign for the summer, having safety as a premise and we wanted to investigate a little more with Francisco Mestre, president of the Association.
"We are going to launch an awareness campaign aimed at big city tourist so that when they come to our towns they comply with the same health safety rules that they are obliged to comply with in their cities of origin," explains Mestre, emphasizing the fear that some towns have of what might happen. There are many towns that do not the virus has arrived and many others fear that the security that they are protecting so strongly will be truncated by the irresponsibility of a traveler who does not respect the rules.
Mestre tells us that among other things he is considering the possibility of publish a manual of good practices on the website of the Association of the Most Beautiful Towns in Spain which, in turn, is promoted by the towns themselves through their Town Councils. "It is very important to tell visitors how they have to come to the villages, to influence this pedagogy. If we manage to maintain security measures, masks, hand washing and social distance we will be able to raise tourism in our towns without upticks. If we have to confine ourselves again, this is going to be a disaster, people have to be responsible, "Francisco sentences without hiding his concern.
READY FOR A DIFFERENT SUMMER
The creativity It has been a great ally in our towns to face this difficult situation. There have been many ideas that have been transmitted from the Association and that, if implemented, would demonstrate the proactivity of our most rural country.
One of the many initiatives is the possibility of hotel vouchers , acquired by the town councils themselves and which would be made available to the Association in order to generate exchange between some peoples and others . Mestre tells us that they also have in mind pedestrianize the villages : "In this way we give much more ground to the pedestrian due to the safety distance and we also gain in beauty. We have always opted for it in the Association but now much more since it is a essential health safety measure".
This summer it is expected that caravan tourism may be the strongest modality and they are preparing for it, both enabling spaces as thinking about prices . Some towns may consider the possibility of open new spaces to host this holiday form . "This type of tourism will increase. Hotels are going to have many restrictions that tourists are not going to want to assume on vacation. Large hotels are going to suffer a lot in summer from not being able to use the common areas normally. This summer surely be so and rural tourism can tackle it much better", argues Mestre.
Be caravan or rural hotel , what is clear is that the most beautiful Spain is ready to receive the traveler with its best clothes. We will return to the alleys dotted with flowers in Frigiliana to eat aubergines with honey, to rediscover the Middle Ages in Albarracín or Pedraza, to meet Goya and some torreznos in the Chinchón square and to enjoy a history class in Ciudad Rodrigo. The responsibility is ours but, without that commitment, better to stay home.
frigiliana