tourism

The north of Spain has been complaining about mass tourism for years. Asturias has discovered the bitter consequences of losing it

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The formula of nature, calm and good kitchen that for years promoted Rural tourism In Asturias It seems to lose bellows. AND clearly. Although the photo of recent years is distorted by COVID, the housing of the principality specialized in this type of tourism have seen how His activity descended until they were driving before the pandemic. At least according to INE data. It is not so much a “puncture” in the flow of travelers and in that of the rooms (They last less) and the loss of interest in the national market. The phenomenon is interesting because it coincides with another or even more media: complaints in a large part of the peninsular northern ( Galicia to Cantabria or in your own Asturias) For precisely the opposite, the effects of tourist massification. While in Cantabria they cry for not being “The North Ibiza” And Galicia complains about The “fodechinchos”inside and the Asturian mountain the hoteliers cry out for measures that avoid the slow decline of rural tourism. An icon in low hours. A quick search arrives on Google to verify that rural tourism does not go through its best moment in Asturias. TO The news of the Regional Press about The fall of activity those in the sector claiming are added “Specific aids” and those of the Principality trying to reassure him. In fact, in January Adrián Barbón He promised to “rethink” rural tourism of the region “to recover thrust.” Shortly after its executive announced a Bond program With discounts designed to encourage demand. That the situation of the sector arouses so much interest in the Principality is more than understandable. In the mid -80s, and thanks largely to your campaign “Asturias Paraíso Natural”the community managed to make a place in a sector in which until then the tourism of Sun and beach prevailed. Today Asturias adds hundreds of establishments with thousands of places (in August the INE computed almost 1,400 and 14,800respectively) and stands out for its volume of rural houses per capita. What do the data say? That the sector has known better times. The INE shows that last year the Rural Accommodations of Asturias received some 304,000 travelers who paid for 924,400 overnight stays. The first data is not exactly bad. It is a slight increase of 1.7% compared to 2023 and is online of 2019. The second worries. In a Growth scenario The number of hired nights fell 3.2% year -on -year and remains away from the almost 975,000 overnight stays that the sector managed in 2019. The 2025 start has not been especially good. During the first quarter the volume of travelers and overnight stays fell with respect to last year, although the data should be handled cautiously. First because in 2024 Holy Week, a period of strong tourist demand, fell in March and this year did so in April. Second because There may be variations important from one month to another. In fact the Principality He has checked already for the growth of February. “Very black winter”. The truth is that the sector is far from satisfied. Recently the president of the EO-Porcia association implied in An interview with eldiario.es that the balance has been of everything but good in recent months. “50% of the peoples that are still inhabited today are for rural tourism. Fixed population and allows you I recognized. In its own accommodations, three apartments and a house, it did not register any reserve between the Bridge of the Constitution and last Holy Week. Looking for the causes. The big question is … What are you due to these data from the sector, especially overnight stays? Why if in August 2001 the average stay In rural accommodations, was 6.13 days passed to 4.76 in 2019 and 4.24 last year? For Ana Llanoof the Fuentes del Narcea Association, one of the keys is the change in demand. Tourists are looking for different things today during their vacations. Or rather, it does so at a different rhythm and way. “Before people came to spend the summer, to spend a few days in nature, to enjoy the house themselves. Now people want regrets In eldiario.es. His comment is in tune with the data on the duration of the rooms and another key indicator: the overnight stays fall in the rural one, but grow in the set of Asturias. “They end rural tourism”. To that challenge others are added: the de -stationalization, the need to enrich the offer with packages or the competition of other types of accommodation, such as Tourist housing (VUT) or the “illegal establishments” that (precisely by acting outside the administration) also blur the balance of the sector. There are those who speak of tens only between Vegadeo and Navia and who focuses the focus on the VUT. “They are ending rural tourism,” they said recently From the sector to The voice. Foreign lifeguard. The general photo leaves another interesting nuance. Asturian rural accommodations may be invoiced today less overnight than before pandemic, but that fall is mainly due to domestic demand. The nights hired by Spaniards fall, but those reserved by tourists from outside the country have grown considerably. With that backdrop last autumn the Principality launched A campaign aimed above all to the Asturian themselves. His slogan: “Are you sure you know Asturias?” When tourism does not arrive. The case of Asturias is interesting for something else. Between record tourism data and with the open debate on the effect of the sector on the real estate market, over the last years in much of Spain they have happened The protests against tourist. Especially in points such as the Canary Islands or Balearic Islands, but also in areas of the North, including Galicia or Cantabria, where the saturation of certain points has become a matter of debate. The Asturian rural and interior situation leaves a key question: what happens when tourism stops arriving or comes less? What if the Fodechinchos Do they stop traveling or areas that have developed … Read more

The players of ‘Gran Tourism’ thought that the RUF were the Porsche de Hacendado. They were the opposite

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The fancy It is an essential element in video games. It can be the theme, such as medieval fantasy of a ‘Dark Souls‘, but it can also be the relative to the fantasy of power in a game like’God of War‘ either ‘Civilization VII‘. The cars games They satisfy our fantasies to pilot the car of our dreams, unless your dream was to pilot a Porsche at 250 km/h in the most famous simulator of its time. Because there what breaks fantasy is something as earthly as … money. Luckily for years a brand went to the rescue of lovers of German sportsmen: Ruf. The problem. You are a young car enthusiast, buy the driving simulator on duty and discover that you can drive a Lambo, a Ferrari and brands of brands you didn’t even know, but not the one you really want: a Porsche. With the naivety of childhood, you did not imagine that a more ‘cheap’ brand that others were not in your video game, but at least you could be content with RUF. RUF cars looked like a tuning Porsche and it wasn’t what you wanted, either had their shield, but it served you. You thought it was like the ‘Pro Evolution Soccer‘When they modified the names of the players whose license belonged to the’ FIFA ‘saga, but you kept wanting to drive a Porsche and did not understand that the’ Need for Speed ​​’had the brand and’ Gran Tourism ‘no. Blessed (and damn) licenses. Because in video games, licenses are a blessing, but also a problem. Let’s go back to football sagas. While in FIFA we had Cafu, Rivaldo Oa Ronaldinho, in PES we had Facu, Ravoldi Ya Naldorinho. His gestures and faces simulated real players, but their names were, as little, original. The reason? The Japanese football saga did not have the licenses of real players, competitions or teams. And it happens with everything, really. We recently told you how there are extremely similar weapons to the real in shooting games, but many times the names are invented because The corresponding license has not been paid. And if we get into the subject of Royal Group SongsIt is a curious eggplant. There are games that have been edited through a patch to eliminate songs whose license has expired (‘GTA IV‘, for example) and others that have completely disappeared (‘Spec Ops The Line‘). Electronic Arts. It is as simple as, if you want to show a real person, a song, a weapon or whatever in a video game, those responsible for it must pay the brand. And this is something very juicy for companies, since they can promote their video game, precisely, with that license they have paid. In the case of cars, all brands included in a video game receive money for your rightsbut with Porsche he went one step further. At the beginning of the century, Electronic Arts was very strong in the field of driving with its saga ‘Need for Speed’. Before launching at night street races and cars modifications, in 2000 ‘Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed 2000’, a video game in which it should not be explained what Marca was the protagonist. The problem (for the rest of the companies)? That EA and Porsche signed an exclusivity agreement that lasted 15 years. Porsche 911 Carrera to the left, Ruf ‘YellowBird’ on the right RUF. Since then, the EA saga had Porsche cars that we could even modify, but in simulators like ‘Gran Turismo 2‘The mythical firm was not. In others like ‘PROJECT GOTHAM RACING‘ either ‘Forza Motorsport‘We also had Porsche, but this was the result of an agreement between Microsoft, Electronic Arts and Porsche herself. Now, why do you remember that you could conduct a Porsche 911 career in the ‘Grantu’? Very easy, because the Porsche 911 Carrera was in the ‘Grantu’. Well, more or less. The one that was Ruf, and a mythical model of ‘Gran Turismo 2’ was the RUF CRT YellowBird of 1987. Aesthetically, it was a Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 and, precisely, what Ruf does in reality, outside Gran Turismo, is to modify Porsche cars in such a deep way that it is considered a totally independent brand. Porsche was created in 1931 and RUF In 1936 and what they do is build their cars on a bare chassis of Porsche, but using their own engines, suspensions, gearbox or body elements. In short: it is not a Porsche with steroids, it is something else At the legal level. The work is so deep that they are legally considered Ruf cars, not Porsche, and that is the reason why some games without Porsche’s license could have cars like the Porsche of our dreams, but without the shield or name of Porsche. What would happen to me and you will think that that YellowBird was the 911 race of ‘Gran Turismo 2’ with a different name and slightly different body because they could not have the Porsche brand, but as I explain, we were wrong: it was not a false car, but totally real. Happy end. That is why the RUF brand was in games like the ‘Gran Turismo’ or ‘Driveclub‘Instead of a Porsche that appeared in other sagas, next to RUF in case of’Forza Horizon 4‘. However, in 2016 the license agreement between the German firm and Electronic Arts expired, which allowed other racing games to incorporate the mythical German house. And a sample of the desire that ‘Gran Tourism’ had to have Porsche in its catalog is that the brand itself detailed The dozens of models in the latest installment of the saga … and that on the cover of ‘Gran Turismo 7‘Porsche VGT appears next to Mazda Rx Vision GT3. Now, we can pilot a 911 in almost any game, but those of us who grew up with RUF and ‘Gran Tourism’, we will never forget the mythical YellowBird. Images | Xataka, Porsche, Norbert Aepli, Gran Tourism In Xataka | It seemed an impossible enemy, it … Read more

Europe’s boycott to the United States is real and is being noticed in one of its most profitable sectors: tourism

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David Pereira is 53 years old, Reside in France And like others thousands Millions of Europeans have been raised under the influence of the US culture. The songs he listened to, the series he saw as a child, the films they threw in the cinema of his city or the cars he dreamed of driving: all ‘made in use’. Hence, when Pereira saw enough money, he decided to make his bags and meet the country in person. And he has done it conscientiously. He has been there almost a dozen times. Two years ago the national parks of the west coast was toured. His idea was to return this summer with his family to Yellowstone. But after two months of Trump administration, Pereira has changed plans. A few days ago I recognized To the CNN that has decided, in conscience, to cancel the trip. Your case connects with A trend which begins to be received in the powerful US tourism industry. A percentage: 17%. That the change of harmony between the US and Europe is taking its toll on American tourism is not a novelty. Weeks ago than the sector emits signals In that direction. And from both banks of the Atlantic. In Europe there are agencies that They find a loss of interest In the US. And on the other side of the ocean there are organisms that They start talking of a puncture in the demand. The clearest track of what is happening, especially in the flow of Europe-Use tourists, it gave it however Financial Times (Ft) a few days ago in An article with A holder that leaves little margin to interpretations: “European tourists cancel their trips to the US for Trump’s policies.” What are they based on? Basically in A percentage: according to international trade administration data (Itafor its acronym in English) visitors from Western Europe who spent at least one night in the US over March 17% collapsed with respect to 2024. It is a considerable fact. Especially if the relevance of the tourism industry is taken into account as an economic engine: represents about 2.5% of the country’s GDP. Click on the image to go to Tweet. Are there more indicators? Yes. Trump does not have not been at the head of the White House for three months, so there is still a perspective, but throughout the last weeks they have been published figures and testimonies that suggest that something is changing in US tourism. And not for good. FT He has prepared graphics They show that the flow of travelers with destiny has collapsed from Austria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Norway or Spain, sometimes with setbacks that exceed 20%. There is also a puncture on the flights of different regions. “Something is happening”. In general Ita has found that in March they traveled to the US 12% less of foreign visitors who during the same month of 2024. And that the percentage excludes the arrivals from the residents of Canada and Mexico, two markets that do not seem to look with too much enthusiasm American tourist destinations. You have to go back to 2021, when the sector still suffered the pandemic hangover, to find a more dire March. Probably in that percentage has influenced the fact that last year Holy Week fell in March and in 2025 it will do so in April, but the sector acknowledges that there is a background trend that goes much further. “It is clear that something is happening … and it is a reaction to Trump”, Recognize Tourism Economics. Fall of reservations. They are not the only ones to point in that direction. In early April the French hotel group Accor SA, behind several brands and highlighted accommodations in the USA, confessed to Bloomberg TV that European reserves to visit this summer the country of bars and stars have collapsed 25%. Simply, tourists seem to opt for Canada, South America or Egypt. In Spain the Confederation of Travel Agencies (CEAV) also recognized A few days ago that perceives a loss of attractiveness of the US for tourists. With those data as a backdrop, Tourism Economics He has rethink down its forecasts this year for the US sector. If in February it foresee a fall of around 5%, that percentage has worsened until 9.4%already around. The French Voyageurs Du Monde has also recognized the CNN chain that since Trump’s investiture the reserves to the US have fallen by 20%. But … why? “It is probably anxious to enter an unknown territory,” He reflected the executive director of Accor when talking about the trend with Bloomberg. The truth is that the change in tendency in the sector coincides with a complex geopolitical framework: the distancing Between Washington and Brussels after Trump’s return to the White House, the escalation in the Commercial Warthe recession drumsthe speech about the European rear and, in Paul English opinionKayak co -founder, a change in the reputational image of the US. Throughout the last months several European countries They have updated Their recommendations for travelers who move to the US or have shown concern about changes in migratory and border control policies, including guidelines that affect trans people. Denmark ha issued an alert and in Spain exterior has updated Its guidelines. In the US attraction they also influence The news about arrests at the borders. Beyond Europe. The phenomenon goes beyond Europe. China He has issued Warnings on the “deterioration of economic and commercial relations” with the US and warns its citizens: “completely evaluate the risks of traveling to the US and travel with caution.” In Canada the Statistics Office registered in February A 23% drop on car trips to the US. In air traffic the descent was somewhat lower, but also stood at 13%. Those percentages and those of Ita coincide with another phenomenon that has been found for months, especially in Europe and Canada: The boycott of USA products in favor of domestic goods and services or other countries. In fact there … Read more

‘The White Lotus’ has shown how a group of millionaires veraneanding on your coasts is a magnet for tourism

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In addition to catching millions of viewers, Successful television series They have proven to have an unexpected power: become fashion tourist destination Your locations. Beyond their plots or characters, the landscapes that appear in them become one more actor and an object of desire to Millions of anxious tourists for living the same experiences as the protagonists of the series. The last to exploit this phenomenon has been “The White Lotus” in which, for more signs, a group of millionaires enjoy some vacation in a luxury resort. The tourist claim is served. The “The White Lotus” effect is very real In the same way as each stop on the Taylor Swift tour affected the economy Local for the singer’s convocation power, every season of “The White Lotus” has had in response an increase in visitors in the locations in which it has been filmed. In the BBC They analyzed the phenomenonwho have not hesitated to qualify as “White Lotus effect“ The White Lotus series, which tells the vacations of a group of Millionaires in a luxury resort which gives name to the series, but in real life it is hotels of the Four Seasons chain. For the first season, Mike White, made the whole plot happen at the facilities of the Four Seasons Resort Maui in Waileain Hawaii. According to data published by the BBC, the hotel registered an annual increase of 425% in the number of visitors to its website and 386% in availability consultations after the broadcast of the first season. Four years after the broadcast of the first season of the series in Hawaii, there is still no availability for the “pineapple suite” that appears in the series. The hotel chain has not let the occasion escape and has taken advantage of the pull of the series to offer one of its “premium experiences” emulating the protagonists From the series on a 20 -day jet in private jet to the three hotels that have served as a location for “The White Lotus”. Its price: since 188,000 per adult. The tourism of “The White Lotus” in figures According to published data by The Wrapthe impact on Hawaii’s local economy Tourism attracted by the series In the first season it was 12.89 million dollars for local economic activity. That provided 3.86 million dollars in salaries to the workers of the island and attracted an investment of 7 million in local companies and suppliers. All this in his first season, when his success still did not reach current popularity quotas, where Variety He reportedan audience of 4.2 million viewers in episode 6 of the third season. For the second season of the series, the group of millionaires moved to the facilities of the FOUR SEASONS SAN DOMENICO PALACE In Taormina, Sicily, and with them They dragged a legion of followers. In the case of Sicily, the series was already coming from a very successful first season, so its figures quadrupled. The local tourism economy It received an impact of 40.1 million dollars after the broadcast of the second season, which generated 18.7 million dollars in salaries for local workers and an investment of 21.4 million dollars for local companies and suppliers. The numbers suggest that the third season of the series, set in the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samuiin Thailand, they will also be a tourist ball that has already generated a benefit of 36.9 million dollars in tourist activities. According to published The New York Timesthe reserves in the Four Seasons in which the third season has already registered a 40% increase in its reserves. Those responsible for local airlines They assuredto Bloomberg They expected a record of 2.7 million visitors this year, attracted by the The White Lotus effect. Set-Jetting: Choose destination according to your favorite series The tourist success of The White Lotus is not an isolated case result of the aspirational desire to achieve some luxury vacation like those enjoyed by the wealthy protagonists of the HBO series. Choose how Vacation destination The locations of the series most popular of the moment has become a trend called “Set-Jetting“ According to The UNPACK´24 report Expedia, 66% of travelers have considered traveling to a destination after watching it in a series or film, and 39% have ended up spending their vacation in one of these film locations. Game of Thrones left an even deeper mark on his recording scenarios, such as Dubrovnik. From the premiere of the series, the city, which served as the scenario for landing of the King, experienced a 40% increase in the influx of international tourists. That generated immediate economic benefits, such as a 60% growth in local income related to tourism. However, series impact also brought some inconveniences For the inhabitants of the Croatian city. According to a studybetween 2012 and 2018, housing prices in Dubrovnik fired 28%, promoted in part by international investments and the arrival of foreigners who sought to acquire properties in the now famous destination. In Xataka | The last trend among millionaires is not to buy a yacht. Is to share a luxury minicrucero Image | Max

Chichén Itzá has been the queen of tourism in Mexico for decades. He has competition with the new “Egypt of the Maya”

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Pre -Hispanic presence is omnipresent in Mexico. We are getting more and more about the past of cities as Mexico Citybut if we have to talk about seeing cities and constructions of the Maya, Yucatán is the power. It is where are the most relevant archaeological sites. And, among all, a proper name stands out: Chichén Itzá. By far, It is the great Mayan power of tourism in the Yucatan Peninsula. But that crown jewel has just left a tough competition: Ichkabal, also known as the ‘Mesoamerican Egypt’. Ichkabal. In the state of Quintana Rooa few kilometers from La Laguna de Bacalar, the Maya raised an older city than others as famous as the aforementioned Chichen Itzá. HE esteem That it began to populate at some point in 400 BC and was inhabited until 1500 AD was the most important administrative city of the Maya, something that is believed due to the imposing size of some of its constructions. The problem is that, for centuries, the area was totally forgotten by the nature of nature, whose green opulence swallowed practically every trace of the buildings of the Maya except the main temple and some more construction. And, as is usually the case, its discovery was almost by accident. Fluke. In 1995, a team of researchers from the National Institute of Anthropology and History was in the area searching A much smaller archaeological territory known as ‘Las Higueras’ when they ran into something different and much larger. Thus, they ran into an imposing pyramid, but also with mounds of land and vegetation that covered different buildings. They immediately realized the importance of the site, so a path was built that can be seen perfectly in Apps such as Google Earth –This link-. In addition, in the application we can understand how the site had gone totally unnoticed due to that vegetation. The Mesoamerican Egypt. But well, there was no doubt that they were facing something big. In Ichkabal, the Maya built several small and medium buildings, but also other colossal. For example, an open square of about 300 meters, a couple of small pyramids and the crown jewel: a building 46 meters high and a 200 -meter plant. There is also a 60 x 8 -meter lagoon that could have supplied the population. And that proximity to a source of water and the ocean itself is what could have given Ichkabal the administrative importance that is estimated, had. Due to the size of these constructions, the Mesoamerican Egypt ‘has been called to the area. Rivaling with Kukulcán. To get an idea of ​​the size of that construction, the Kukulcán Temple that is the main Mayan attraction of Mexico as part of Chichén Itzá and indisputable protagonist of the equinox Spring and autumn, it has a height of about 30 meters and a base of 55.5 meters. The base of the main building of Ichkabal is four times larger and the height reaches 15 meters more. Now, the state of conservation is not the same, something logical considering that restoration work in both places did not run the same fate. But this is something that changed relatively little thanks to the goal of converting Ichkabal into one of the key stop stops of the Mayan train. Mayan train. With this railway network, the previous Mexican president -manuel López Obrador- wanted to create a transport system that value the archaeological sites of the country, connecting them better with the municipalities and the most tourist areas in order to facilitate it would arrive from one point to another. With that idea of ​​revitalizing the cultural heritage, the opening of Ichkabal once the objects of cataloging objects, other elements and restoration was finished, it was linked to the Mayan train project. So much so that, from INAH and as we read in The nationthey consider that Ichkabal has potential to unseat other archaeological sites, at the tourist level, such as Chacchoben either Kohunlich. Open to the public. And, after all the work of archaeologists, Ichkabal is the pre -Hispanic archaeological site number 194. As reported by himself INAHyou can visit from Monday to Sunday and it is located a distance from the stations of the Mayan Train of Bacalar and Chetumal, since the road we commented on a few lines has about 23 kilometers. And cruises. We said that Ichkabal is in Quintana Roo, a state in which yes, there are Mayan ruins XCARET-, but where tourism is otherwise. Is where the famous beaches of Cancun and the Rivera Mayawith all those kilometers of beach occupied by large resorts and hotel complexes. The ports of Xcalac and Mahahual are crucial for the arrival of cruises and is something that, together with the Mayan train, the state hopes that allows a high influx of visitors to the new Mayan city. Without a doubt, taking into account the dimensions of the archaeological site and the tourist magnet that is the state coast, Ichkabal has many ballots to be placed among the top of the most visited Mayan ruins in the country. We will have to be attentive to the list next year to see if the applicant can play the crown to Chichen Itzá and the Kukulcán temple. In Xataka | When the Spanish conquerors arrived in Tenochtitlan were fascinated by a technology: the Mexican canoes

Drought and mass tourism have aggravated the shortage of water in the Balearic Islands. Now it is going to entrust the desaliners

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Throughout the month of March Let’s have a storm characterized by many rains. However, when this temporary pass will come the good weather and return The drought again. Given this situation, the Balearic Islands, one of the communities most affected by water scarcityThey are looking to get ahead. The projects. The seafore and water cycle. has announced The construction of three desalination plants in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The installation will have an initial budget of 3.5 million euros and are expected to be operational within five years, supplying more than 60,000 inhabitants. A serious problem. Currently, reservoirs on the islands are 51% of its capacity, showing the water problem despite the recent rains. For that reason, from the Ministry They have pointed out That these new desalination makers are to guarantee the medium and long term water supply, regardless of the weather conditions. However, this is not all, because there are other concerns, such as overexploitation of aquifers that It has generated problems With the introduction of salts. In addition, the archipelago receives a large amount of tourism every summer, which triggers demand and Test The supply capacity. Future desalination. The Balearic Government has planned the construction of desalists financed through the STI 24-25 call, with the aim of improving the water supply in the region. In Mallorca, the Rostent area will be prioritized, especially the strip between Ses Salines and Artà, as well as the municipalities of the PLA. In Menorca and Ibiza, areas with the highest water deficit will be served. The project will take place in several phases with the construction in 2027 and the commissioning of the facilities in 2030. But they already have others … that’s how, in the Balearic Islands There are desalination plants They help meet the growing demand for water. Currently, ABAQUA manages a supply and desalination infrastructure network that includes several plants, such as Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. To give an example, the three existing desalination plants in Ibiza operate at 75 % of their capacity throughout the year, and They reach 110 % peaks In more than five months, which shows the overload of the supply system. Inconveniences. Although desalination plants have become an alternative for water use, they have a series of problem. On the one hand, they need high energy consumption, so would imply an increase in the price of water In the long term. On the other hand, these facilities They can have brinea residue with high salt concentration that can damage marine ecosystems. So the Balearic Islands will have to continue trusting technologies such as desalination plants, which despite the aforementioned problems, offer a response to the growing demand for water. However, they can bet on the implementation of long -term measures such as Wastewater reuse or Other methods within desalination. Image | Pexels Xataka | Barcelona is about to live something unpublished for 50 months and that until recently we thought it impossible: the end of drought

An American who wants to dedicate him to tourism

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For years Castro Saltoa town in the municipality of Fonfría, west of Zamora, stood out above all for two reasons: its idyllic Natural environmentin full reserve of the Iberian plateau biosphereand above all his link with the neighbor of Castro. In fact the village It was created to welcome employees who work in the hydroelectric installation and was injured in death In the late 80s when he was automated and his presence there ceased to be indispensable. Now Salto de Castro is famous for something else: it has become one of the great symbols of The emptied Spain. After a complex recent story, marked by abandonment and its Departure and reentry In the real estate market, an entrepreneur claims to have bought it to dedicate it to tourism. The most curious thing is that the businessman is from the US, he barely speaks Spanish and never had Europe before. In a place of the line … Salto de Castro is part of the municipality of Fonfría, Zamora province, but is closer to Portugal than from the Zamora capital. Located next to the line this small town formed by 44 homeslodge, bar, pool, church, sports facilities and a barracks was driven In the mid -twentieth century by Iberduero To welcome the workers (and families) who worked in the Castro dam, located right next to each other. From Iberduero to Idealista. In 40 Salto de Castro welcomed the workers who raised the dam and during the following decades it worked as a hydroelectric town, just like others many distributed For Spain. TO late 80s That changed. His employees and the Civil Guard post were relocated and the town was touched, converted into A ghost town that attracted curious … and occasionally to some businessman who dreamed of taking advantage of his idyllic environment to turn him into A tourist complex. For a time the town was owned by a Galician society. Then, in 2022, He went to hands of the person responsible for a construction company of Toledo for 300,000 euros. Neither with one nor with the other came to take off. Shortly after idealist announced that the town was on sale for 580,000. Although then I know slid that there were interested buyers from Saudi and Miami, in the end Everything points that its owner has not left the Middle East or Florida, but from the west coast of the US. “I knew it was my future”. The last name to sneak into the history of Villa is that of Jason Lee Beckwitha Californian with a profile quite different from that of the previous owners of the town: Jason is from the US, he spent a large part of his professional life in a printing press, a business of Bed & Breakfast In your country and at least until recently He barely spoke Spanish nor had Europe stepped on. Neither one thing nor the other threw back in his last project: to become the owner of Salto de Castro. The reason? One day, while looking for options to continue with his hospitality vocation on the other side of the Atlantic, he learned that there was a town for sale right on the border between Spain and Portugal. “It was as if a switch was lit on my head”, He reported Recently to the EFE agency. His wife, Brazilian, did not seem too excited about the idea, but Jason had just decided when visiting the town in person. “I knew that this was my future,” he says. From plans to euros. Throughout the last months the name of Jason and his sudden love for Salto de Castro has starred news in means from all over the country, regional, state And even foreigners. In them the Californian has been renovating his plans for the town and has also given brushstrokes of something equally crucial: the economic part. In January Jason He confirmed the mayor of Fonfría that he had already made a first payment to “acquire the town to the former owners.” This same week, in one of his Last interviewsgranted to Efe, went further and slid that he would have already bought the town by about 310,000 euros. Of course, recovering the old buildings and carrying out the project you have in mind will cost you much more. Jason estimates that the total investment could stem the five million of euros. There is talk about eight million To restore the entire area. A project, a Crowdfunding. For now there is already active A campaign of microenazgo to his name in Gofundme with an ambitious objective: to raise $ 300,000. “With this first collection of funds it is intended to complete the acquisition of the village and the land that surround it, hire a specialist in subsidies and aid, complete the studies on the main systems of the village, prepare a precise general budget/calendar and start working in the church,” Point out The campaign. At the moment he has managed to gather 500 dollars with half a dozen contributions, even far from the 300,000 marked as a goal in Gofundme, where other sources of income are needed that consider their drivers to continue with the project, including subsidies and subsidies. A few days ago Jason Lee explained to The newspaper which is about to “complete the paperwork” to complete the transfer of the town, which could be closed “even several months earlier.” And what is in mind? Basically return to life Saltro, orienting it to tourism Without ruling out The possibility of rentals for long stays. In An interview granted in February Zamora’s opinionJason explained that he had in mind to offer different types of accommodation: “luxury villas”, “Boutique Apartments” and “A shelter with several bedrooms” for travelers with more tight budgets. Another market in which it aspires to fishing is that of the Digital nomads. “My goal is to open a hotel, shelter and there will also be short and long -term apartment rentals for those who want to change the … Read more

After years with its closed borders, North Korea has opened to foreign tourism. The price: more than $ 600

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Very shy, limited and with restrictions, but North Korea begins to open to foreign tourism five years after have sealed its borders to protect yourself from the propagation of COVID-19. The hermetic nation led by Kim Jong-un is about to be somewhat less hermetic, both for travelers from China and Western. Of course, at least for the moment and despite the fact that the country is building His own ‘Benidorm’ In Wonsan, the tours will focus on a specific (and controlled) area: Rason. No visits to Pyongyang. Border closure. Five years ago, even in the initial bars of the Covid-19 Pandemia, North Korea took A radical decision: At the end of January 2020, the view of how the virus spread for the Chinese neighbor, the authorities decided to close foreign tourists. The measure made sense if one takes into account that in 2019, tens of thousands of travelers arrived from the Asian giant had visited North Korea. Some sources speak of 350,000. Others point out that the country received in total 300,000 tourists foreigners, of which 90% were Chinese. One (long) temporary measure. The idea was that the borders remained “temporarily” as “preventive measure against coronavirus.” Or so He announced it In January 2022 Young Pioneer Tours, an agency that was dedicated to organizing trips to the country of Kimg Jong-un. What was not clarified was what exactly “temporary” meant, an uncertain horizon that extended one, two, three … until five yearswhich is what has ended up lasting the closure. The government already made A first gesture In 2024, allowing Russian tourist delegations, which were already pointed out as The first foreign travelers who accessed the country from the pandemic; But now North Korean authorities have decided to go one step further. Coinciding almost with the fifth anniversary of the closing of the borders, the country has allowed The passage of several travel companies and a very small group of visitors. What exactly? The Straits Times Explain that at the beginning of February the North Korean authorities allowed the country of a select group of travel operators. Select and Very small. Experience served to tote the land for the really important date: tourism reopening February 20although the latter has also been done in a limited way. Among the operators who stepped on North Korean soil after years of border closure was the Australian Rowan Beard, of the Pioneer Tours agency, based in Beijing. His business was expected to take A dozen tourists To the country, a figure similar to the one that was handled by another of the selected operators, Koryo Tours, who when Corea’s apartment already had a group of 15 people eager to walk around the country. And who have visited it? After the first trip of recognition and “familiarization”, that of Beard, foreign tourists have arrived, including people from Singapore, Australia, Germany or Romania, according to Precise The country. Other media They holdthat among visitors there are also citizens of the United Kingdom and Jamaica. The CNN even assures That among the “pioneers” is an American, Justin Martell, who would have mocked the prohibition of his country after becoming a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, a Caribbean nation. Looking at China. After A first approach To Russia, the nation of Kim Jong-un already looks at its great tourism market: China. Kyodo News agency I advanced A few days ago the country prepares to resume tourist trips of the Asian giant, which until the closing of borders moved a flow of tens of thousands of travelers a year. The perspective of knowing North Korea may be more or less appealing from countries such as Spain, where the government even advised The visitbut it has its market. Packages for $ 670. Beard remember that when his agency announced the trips the company’s email “saturated” consultations. And that the experience requires scratching the pocket: Young Pioneer Tours, one of the few authorized, offers a five -day and four night package for $ 670. Another option is to pay $ 720 With several nights in Yanji, China. “For many people it is a very mysterious country,” Beard comments: “Technically there is no Internet or is limited. So life there works in a similar way to what we had in the 1980s.” Those who have already been in the country after reopening ensure that the rules when taking photos have relaxed, which does not mean that visitors can film what they want. “They only scold me once,” Recognize the CNN Gerg Vaczi, by Korko Tours, “and was to film a guide.” Opening, but with quotes. North Korea’s policy change has been important, but also limited. That he has decided to allow the passage of tourists again does not mean that they will move freely through the country or move to the capital, Pyongyang, supposedly closed For any tourist who Do not come from Russia. Visitors must settle at least for the moment with Rasona special economic zone established in the early 90s and presents certain important peculiarities. A special destination. To begin its location, it is strategic, northwest of the country, near the borders of China and Russia. It also does not have an international airport, with what the only way to arrive is to cross the limit with China under the control of the Border guards. The area also has peculiar administrative conditions and has been raised, Precise ABC News, as a kind of evidence field to test new economic policies. The idea It is that tourists who can reach drops visit spaces such as a factory, an aquaculture farm, Schoolsor have the experience of open an account Banking in the Golden Triangle Bank. Rason is also in a border and coastal area. Beard Recognize In any case that the area presents certain “logistics limitations”, such as the number of hotel places, guides and buses. And why now? The other big question. It is estimated that before the pandemic the country received hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists generated … Read more

Japan will copy Venice to stop mass tourism. Two levels of transport price: the tourist pays more

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Exactly one week there was a stir for the decision that Venice had adopted to stop mass tourism. It was an update of a measure that took months ago: an entry rate for the tourist, which was now going to duplicate In view of the good results he had given to public coffers. Japan had already “flirted” with something similar with A double pricing system in menus. Now Kyoto wants to go further with public transport. First was the menu. As we said, last summer the nation hospitality saw an opportunity before the massive arrival of tourists. Japan’s restaurant industry implemented A two -level price system in the most tourist places in the nation. You don’t have to be very lynx to understand it: restaurants seek to take advantage of the influx of foreign visitors, a strategy where it is also not scare to local customers. Behind this price increase there was something as evident as purchasing power. Restoration companies were or more towards tourists because, in essence, they are willing to pay more. Miki Watanabe, president of the important Watami restaurant chain, I explained it that way: “The Japanese do not buy 3,000 yen sirloin skewers, but tourists who arrive in Japan say it is cheap and buy them.” The thing now is different. The news today takes us to Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. They want Implement a system of differentiated rates in public transportbecoming the first city in the country to adopt this measure to manage the growing number of foreign visitors. Mayor Koji Matsui has proposed that Tourists pay a higher rate on buses operated by the city compared to local residents, with the aim of generating funds to mitigate congestion and preserve cultural heritage. Living with mass tourism. We have told it countless times. From the reopening of borders after the pandemic and with a weak yen that favors the spending of tourists, Kyoto and many others Japanese cities have experienced a massive influx of tourists. In 2024, the city, which has 1.5 million inhabitants, received seven million international tourists, which has generated concerns about its impact on everyday life. This phenomenon is part of a broader trend in Japan, than In 2024 he reached a record of 36 million foreign visitorswith a total expense that exceeded 8 billion yen. The negative effects of mass tourism in the city include Aglomerations in public transport, garbage in the streets and cultural conflicts. In fact, some residents have reported difficulties in accessing buses due to excess passengers, which especially affects students and people who need to move to hospitals. Proposed measures. To counteract these problems, the Kyoto authorities have promoted several initiatives, including, The commented differentiated rate in urban buseswhere tourists would pay more than residents, allowing funds to improve infrastructure and reduce the impact of tourism. In addition, the administration also plans An increase in accommodation tax for those who stay in hotels in the city or the creation of exclusive buses for touristswith routes to the main tourist sites, thus relieving the pressure on public transport used by the premises. Moreover. There is also talk of the Distribution of awareness brochures to educate visitors/tourists about the rules of Japanese behavior and cultural sensibilities. In this regard, Mayor Matsui has emphasized that these measures seek to balance the daily life of residents with the tourist influx, ensuring that the local community also receives benefits of tourism activity. Other examples. In this way, Japan joins other enclaves such as The commented in Venice. The truth is that from a while to this part, the so -called differentiated tarification has already been implemented or will do so in other places. For example, in Himeji, Japan, It was proposed to raise the entrance fee to Himeji Castle for not residentsParis plans Apply higher rates at the Louvre Museum For visitors outside the EU, and in India it has been applied Differentiated rates in emblematic monuments such as Taj Mahalwith higher prices for foreign tourists. All initiatives that seek a balance between the promotion of tourism and the preservation of heritage and the quality of life of the residents. A cultural problem. It is the last of the legs to be treated in the nation and its tourist boom. Beyond the quantitative theme and logistics impact, mass tourism In Japan it has also generated cultural conflicts. In Kyoto, and due to the inappropriate behaviors of tourists, Mayor Matsui has pointed out some “tips” to take into accountsuch as eating while walking through the streets, which is considered of bad education in Japanese culture. In addition, Matsui also recalled that making strong noises in sanctuaries and other sacred spaces, chasing the geishas to take photographs without permission or entering tea houses without prior reserve, interrupting their traditional functioning, it is everything but educated for the nation. Plus: The geographical design of the city, surrounded by mountains and with narrow streets in its historic center, aggravates these problems, making the city particularly sensitive to tourist saturation. The future of tourism. That said, and despite the difficulties, Kyoto says he remains committed to receiving tourists and sharing his cultural and historical wealth. However, the local administration works to ensure that this growth is managed sustainably. Matsui reaffirms that these initiatives do not seek to restrict tourism, but to administer it efficiently and respectfully with the community and the environment. The proposal of differentiated rates is part of a two -year planwhich must still be approved by the City Council. If implemented, Kyoto would mark a precedent in Japan and could influence other regions that face similar problems with mass tourism. Image | Robert Thomson In Xataka | Visitors do not stop arriving. The hospitality has seen the opportunity with two price levels: the tourist pays more In Xataka | Venice invented an entry rate to stop mass tourism. It has come out so well that it will double the price

The Chinese are traveling in mass to Japan and not just for tourism. Many of them arrive so as not to return

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Japan is living a boom of “foreigners” arrivals As you never remember. That, as we have explained above, is not always easy, especially at the time of fight between tourism and the life of the premises. This year, in addition, it is special. We are lunar new year, and the volume of travelers has shot a flag above others: China. The funny thing is that many of these visitors are not returning to the nation. Japan: main destination. Nikkei had a few days ago that China’s travel agencies found him: Japan has established itself as the most popular international destination for Chinese tourists During the recent eight -day holiday period, registering twice the reservations compared to the previous year. This growing preference responds to multiple factors, including geographical proximity, cultural attraction and Relaxation of visa restrictions implemented by the Japanese government in 2024. The impact of this opening in the Japanese tourism sector is significant, with an increase in the arrival of Chinese visitors who, if the trend is maintained, could generate substantial growth in the economy of the sector. On the other sidewalk, the decision to facilitate the obtaining of visas has been subject to controversy within the Democratic Liberal Party (PLD)where some conservative sectors consider that the measure was hurried in a context of geopolitical tensions between both countries. What is the new approach to tourism. Japan announced a few weeks ago the implementation of a new visa of multiple tickets with a duration of 10 yearsaddressed to Chinese citizens with high income and significant assets. This measure is part of a set of reforms designed to attract wealthy tourists and stimulate consumption in the nation, in a context of Low internal demand and population aging. In addition to the extended visa, The maximum stay of stay for Chinese tourists traveling in groups will double for 30 dayswith the objective of foster visits to rural destinations and not only to big cities. Other flexibility include the elimination of the employment test requirement for travelers over 65 and the abolition of the rule that forced to use a three -year tourist visa within the first three months after its broadcast. All measures that seek to consolidate Japan as the favorite destination of Chinese tourists, who represented the highest proportion of the 33 million foreign visitors that the country received last year. Live in Japan. But as we said at the beginning, the arrivals of Chinese visitors to Japan are not only temporary. Beyond tourism, a key aspect of the growing link between China and Japan is The increase in the number of Chinese citizens seeking permanent residence in the archipelago. A recent Nikkei report stood out that, at a time of uncertainty about the economic future from China, A growing number of Chinese is choosing to settle in Japan. This phenomenon raises questions about its expectations in a country where the economy has been marked by decades of deflation and salary stagnation. Japan’s appeal as a migratory destination for Chinese not only lies in economic factors, but also in the perception of stability and quality of life. However, this migratory flow also points to Challenges for both Chinese residents and Japanese societywhich has historically maintained a restrictive immigration policy. Art as a gateway. A particularly striking phenomenon is growing amount of young Chinese who see in Japanese art universities a viable path to obtain residence permanent. The recent immigration reform has facilitated access to this status for graduates of these institutions, encouraging a flow of students looking for a future in Japan after finishing their studies. So much, Admission in these universities remains a highly competitive processeven for Japanese students themselves. Getting a place in these higher education centers not only requires academic excellence, but also Advanced artistic skillswhich makes this immigration route accessible only for a select minority. Osaka and China. It is possibly the best example of this exodus. In the last decade, the Chinese community in Osaka has experienced unprecedented growth, duplicating its size and reaching approximately 50,000 residents in 2024according to municipal data. At the moment, The Chinese represent the second largest foreign community in the cityjust behind the Koreans. This increase is driven by that new immigration wave of wealthy people who have acquired homes in the region since the pandemic. Neighborhoods like Nishinari and Naniwa have seen a rapid growth of predominantly Chinese communities, With some areas where up to 90% of residents are of Chinese origin. In these areas, it is common to find schools aimed at the Chinese diaspora, three -story homes with traditional decoration and the presence of businesses that serve the growing community. Connectivity with Kansai International Airport, which allows Shanghai to be reached in just two hours, has been another key factor for this residential choice. The Chinese resident. A study by Professor Toshio Mizuuchi (Osaka Metropolitan University) and the associated professor Lu Lijun (Fukuoka Prefectural University) between 2022 and 2023 analyzed 172 Chinese households in Osaka. The results revealed key trends over this community. In essence, the data reflected that, unlike previous generations of Chinese migrants in Japan, this new wave does not follow the traditional pattern of international students entering the Japanese labor market before settling. On the other hand, from the pandemic, accommodated families have begun to move directly from China without speaking Japanese. Thus, the increase in Chinese tourism and migration in Japan seems to reflect structural changes in the relationship between the two countries, changes marked by both economic opportunities and by the political and social challenges themselves. While Japan looking capitalize The rise of Chinese tourism, long -term migration could redefine work and cultural dynamics within Japanese society. Image | Pedro Szekely In Xataka | China has been claiming as its islands from Japan 130 years. So he has made a decision: surround them with buoys In Xataka | At 4,500 meters high there is a “sexual” fungus for which people die. In China they pay for fortunes for aphrodisiac

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