Cultural events as tourism supply in Catalan coastal resorts

Dr. Francesc González Reverté (fgonzalezre@uoc.edu)Oriol Miralbell Izard (jmiralbell@uoc.edu)

Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

Characterization of tourist events un Catalonia (2009)

• 1.453 events with real tourism potential (appearing in webs of festivals and culture in Catalonia)

• 439 municipalities (46% of Catalonia) have, at least, one event

• Map of localization– Main concentration in Barcelona area– Branching over the A2 (Anoia Segrià) and Barcelona

Vic axes– Coastal line: North; Costa Brava – more density and South;

Costa Daurada, with lower density (except Salou-Cambrils area)

– Empty spaces and very low density in the western region and in Terres de l’Ebre

E v e n t s

1 2 3 4 5

Observation

Events are

• following the dynamics of the urbanization process in the country

• their distribution is superimposed – to the urban net, and– the mobility for leisure of metropolitan

population and from urban centers

Comparing 50 top cities

Places turístiques

800.00 to 3000.00

3000.00 to 5000.00

5000.00 to 10000.00

10000.00 to 20000.00

20000.00 to 50000.00

Places turístiques

1 to 10

10 to 15

15 to 20

20 to 25

25 to 50

By Tourism facilities By Events

Observation

• Tourist events are not located in a specific area, but distributed over the country

• The reason of this distribution is more depending on functional means tied to a spatial-temporal proximity to the metropolitan of Barcelona rather than to interest on attracting tourists

Type of events

We have worked on 4 types of tourism events (that have touristic interest)

• Popular festivals and celebrations (46,7%)

• Fairs and exhibition (commerce) (39,5%)

• Cultural festivals (7,7%)

• Theme markets (6%)

Observations• Dominance of events with a strong

component of tradition and popular culture is to be taken in mind when estimating the potential social and cultural impacts that derive from touristization of some of these events.

• Rigidity in the agendas implies lack of flexibility in the celebration date.

• It is also important to consider that they facilitate to offer activities outside high-season (low and mid season) without becoming de-contextualized because of the date of celebration.

Analysis• We found up to 20 different themes in the 4 types of

events, with dominance of traditional and commercial themes too

• Also 250 sub-themes were found as motivationsImportant to remark the heterogeneity of existing

motivations that could be used to create an offer with great variety of new events.

Sometimes we identify replicated offer and in some types excessive too (music festivals, medieval markets)

Though some other events help to offer activities outside high season (gastronomy events) and other are limited to calendar specific dates: Carnival, local festivals, etc.

Finally, some events don’t consider the opportunity that tourism season could afford (markets and exhibitions)

Field work

• Starting with a sample of 1,453 identified events we worked with a sub-sample resulting from a telephone survey (263 valid responses)

• The data gathered in the survey about the characteristics of the events have given us detailed information that we have used in this communication

Key questions

• Do organizers generate new offer of tourism events?– In the last 10 years new events have been

created • 9%, first edition 2008 or 2009• 3,5% of events in coast areas are new• 25,4% have less than 5 editions (26,7% in

coast)• 43,9% less than 10 editions (50% in coast)

Key questions

• Do organizers generate new offer of tourism events?– In the last 10 years new events have been

created • New event’s generation responds to the necessity

to increase existing leisure offer and redefinition of tourism offer, esp. on the coast.

• This growth of event’s offer poses some doubts on the sustainability of these events in front of a context of resources’ scarcity and increasing competence

Key questions

• Can these events be transformed into tourism offer?

Orientació dels objectius

0

50

100

150

200Festiu

Cultural

SocialTurístic

Econòmic

Catalunya

Litoral

Priority seems to be cultural and touristic goal for the organizers. Especially on the coast where tourist dimension and celebrations (related to leisure) are critical.

Though in the rest of Catalonia culture and socialization are dominant goals

Destinations with leisure and tourism specialization are offering the type of events that better fit in to their need to provide entertainment and complementary leisure offer to tourists and visitors, but to locals as well.

Key questions• What’s the real touristic impact of the events?

Calculation based on presence and impact on tourism providers (hospitality & restaurants)

– Presence average of tourists is between moderate to low. Though depending on which region.

– Main assistants are local (74% of events over 50% are locals). Though 74% of events declare having tourists or visitors (especially from Catalonia)

– No event risk to have over touristic impact (only 6% say that more than 75% are tourists)

– Interior regions where tourists are scarce, whilst in Coastal destinations more frequent, and in Barcelona, is the highest presence of tourists.

– Perceived impact of events on tourist industry is high in the majority of destinations, especially in Barcelona and on the coast.

10 conditions to successfully generate local development

SOCIAL CAPITAL

CULTURAL IDENTITY

ECONOMIC SELF RESOURCES

Goal of cultural dynamismOngoing learningRelation networks (internal/external)Technical skillsParticipation from locals

ContinuityAuthenticity

Budgetary capacityGetting benefitsGetting resources (funds private/public)Public participation and support

Conclusions1. Localization of touristic events is differently

distributed in Catalonia2. Tourists are not the principal assistants but they

influence the creation of new events3. Coincidence of events’ themes: popular traditions

and festivals. There’s a risk to make them more touristic (losing authenticity)

4. Coastal regions mean an exception as organizers of tourists events, because it means a competitive advantage and could suppose innovation (tourism supply redevelopment)

5. In coastal regions events have a stronger touristic orientation (22% towards 18% avge. Of Catalonia)

Conclusions6. Coastal events attract international tourism (though less than

in Barcelona)7. Success factors of events oriented to social capital have two

interpretations: low participation or association to external networks but have a quite professional structures (except for BCN)

8. Resources and collection of funds is high in the coast sponsoring beyond Catalonia’s avge. (57%); public involvement (95%); but low capacity to get benefits (6%).

9. Local identity is significant in the coast events, because a high level of involvement of locals. Events help to social cohesion.

10. Three profiles of tourist events: 1. use culture as projection strategy; 2. with public support, events help to local development; 3. clear economic goal due to the capacity to attract tourists and get benefits