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In this latest edition of FiturNext, the Observatory analysed good tourism practices that contribute to the revitalisation of depopulated territories. The winning initiatives of the challenge were the following:

• Genalguacil Pueblo Museo: Initiative whose objective is to combat depopulation through the fusion of art, culture, tradition and nature, creating a municipality with artistic and cultural tourist attraction.
• Recartografías: Research and action association whose aim is to raise awareness of the problem of depopulation in rural areas and to offer development solutions through land stewardship and tourism.
• El Camino del Cid: Cultural tourism route of some 2,000 km that runs through territories with low population density (43% of these towns have less than 100 inhabitants, 80% suffer from depopulation), thus promoting their economic and social development through tourism.

According to the United Nations, in 2018, 55% of the world's population lived in cities, a percentage that is expected to increase by 70% by 2050.  These cities consume 75% of the world's energy resources and emit 80% of the carbon that pollutes the environment, leading to the saturation of spaces and services. 

In addition, the spaces that are "emptied" become lonely areas that suffer from a lack of basic local services, accessibility, mobility, opportunities and connectivity.  In this way, the so-called "demotanasia" is generated, understood as the slow and silent disappearance of a territory's population. This phenomenon not only worsens people's quality of life, but also contributes to the abandonment of crops, the desertification and acidification of territories and the neglect of fire environments.

Read the report 'FiturNext 2024: Towards territorial revitalisation through tourism' and consult all the details of the edition.