Sustainable Tourism Law

PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM RESOURCES 329 III. INVESTIGATION OF TOURISM RESOURCES For the existence and subsequent development of a touristic activity, and when the legal relationships arising between the different parties as a result of its development must be regulated by a special branch of the law – Tourism Law – it is necessary for the Government to find the tourism resources required to enable the development of this activity. Tourism resources are the basis for the research, planning and regulation by the Government. However, seeing as tourism is an activity mainly exploited by the private sector, they need to be certain about the availability of the resources in which they must invest for the planning and promotion of tourism through the development of touristic products. Tourism resources may be defined as any activity or product capable of creating tourism. Therefore, we can state that the definition of a tourism resource is a comprehensive one due to the mass touristic activities that exist nowadays. Hence, resources may be a product or an activity capable of favouring the movement of people – the tourists – who will be consumers for the activities existing in that area. Therefore, the concept of territory is essential for the concept of tourism resource. Thus, we can say that a tourism resource exists whenever there are tourist activities in a territory. In order to plan and organize tourism resources, their investigation and classification is consequently necessary. Tourism resources constitute the basis for planning, which in turn requires the classification of tourist areas and activities. Planning and regulation of tourism is based on the identification of the tourism resources upon which tourism policies are built. These tourism resources must also be based on the concept of sustainability, implying activities that must be both sustained over time and sustainable for those who make a living out of them. In conclusion, we are before a tourism resource when the following elements are present: a) a broad concept, as it includes everything that may create touristic activities (cultural, social, ecological, gastronomic, observation, conferences); b) potential, as tourism resources frequently entail intense transformation processes; c) capacity for meeting touristic needs; mountains and beaches have always been present, with proper planning and development of their territories, they may become a tourism resource; d) touristic activity, which turns this resource into a tourism resource (golf courses, trekking, adventure tourism, rural tourism, etc.).