Policy coherence between tourism and climate policies: the case of Spain and the Autonomous Community of Catalonia

Abstract

The relationship between tourism and climate change is reciprocal. The effects of climate change on tourism are undeniable. However, tourism and climate change are complex and cross-cutting phenomena that enter policy agendas at different moments and with different discourses. This paper analyses the coherence between the policy domains of climate and tourism at the formulation stage of the policy process, focusing on national and regional government levels and the key touristic offer in Spain – that of sun, sea and sand. The proposed method analyses three dimensions within policy documents: frame significance, policy scope and connotation. Results reveal the imbalance between the two policy domains; the lack of concrete actions and stable mechanisms for achieving greater coherence; and the different conceptions of the issue. The paper considers the causal relationships between tourism and climate change, the consequences of mutual impacts, and the temporal dimension of problem framing. This research brings together three fields of knowledge – tourism, climate change and public policies – and suggests enhancing coherence between tourism and climate policies in order to address the sustainability of tourism destinations.

Keywords:

• Tourism policy
• climate policy
• sun
• sand and sea tourism
• climate change
• coherence

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under Grants CSO2011-23004, CSO2014-51785-R, CSO2016-75470-R and CSO2017-82156-R.

Notes on contributors

Raquel Santos-Lacueva

Raquel Santos-Lacueva is PhD in the Research Group of Tourism Studies and Territorial Analysis (GRATET) in the Department of Geography at Rovira i Virgili University. Her research focuses on sustainable tourism, climate change and tourism policies.

María Velasco González

María Velasco González is an Associated Professor of Political Science and Administration at Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. Her major research interests are tourism policy and cultural policy.