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Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 11011110, 2002

2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Printed in Great Britain
0160-7383/02/$22.00

PII: S0160-7383(02)00025-7

RURAL TOURISM IN SPAIN

Rosa Mara Yagu
e Perales
University of Vale`ncia, Spain
Abstract: The aim of this study is to determine the features that characterize a new tourist
class, called modern rural tourism, and to figure out the proportion of this market in one
specific Spanish region. The geographical territory under study is El Alto Palancia, one of
the best known rural resorts, within the Valencian region. In order to fulfil these goals, an
empirical study was undertaken and an econometric model was applied afterwards. A wide
set of variables has been selected for the Logit Binomial Model, which is shown to be useful
in discriminating the modern from traditional tourists. Keywords: rural tourism, Spain,
econometric model. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Resume: Tourisme rural en Espagne. Le propos de cette etude consiste a` determiner les
caracteristiques dun genre tre`s recent quon appelle le nouveau tourisme rural et ensuite,
de fixer le pourcentage que tient ce genre dans une region particulie`re de lEspagne, lAlto
Palancia, une des stations rurales les plus connues de la region de Valencia. Afin datteindre
ces deux objectifs, on a fait une etude empirique et apre`s, on a applique un mode`le econometrique. On a choisi un grand nombre de variables pour le Mode`le Binomial Logit, qui
se montre utile pour distinguer les touristes modernes des touristes traditionnels. Mots-cles:
tourisme rural, Espagne, mode`le econometrique. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights
reserved.

INTRODUCTION
Tourism activity in rural areas has remarkably increased since the
70s in all developed countries. This has played a key role in the development of some rural zones that were economically and socially
depressed(Blaine and Golan 1993; Dernoi 1991). But tourism in rural
areas is not a recent phenomenon; as a matter of fact, it has existed
since the Industrial Revolution, with homecoming connotations
(understood as tourism practiced by those city dwellers originally from
rural zones usually spending their vacations in their hometown). This
homecoming category has never produced a great volume of flow during holidays, capable of nurturing their own tourism business to takeoff. Therefore, it is important to distinguish the homecoming or traditional rural tourism from the modern rural type, a new category
supposedly far more valuable for rural economic progress, as its prac-

Rosa Mara Yague Perales is a member of the Department of Applied Economics at University of Vale`ncia (Avda Tarongers s/n, 46022 Valencia Spain. Email <rosa.m.yague@uv.es>).
Her research interests include rural and sustainable tourism. She is Director of a research
project funded by the Valencia Regional Government, oriented to provide a strategic plan
for the development of rural tourism, and is presently doing research on sustainable tourism
funded by the European Union.
1101

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titioners have behaviors and consuming patterns more valuable in

economic and development terms. A remarkable increase in the number of tourists with a modern profile should become a key goal in rural
areas willing to grow through tourism.
TRADITIONAL VERSUS MODERN RURAL TOURISM
In order to define modern rural tourism and to detect the presence
of modern rural tourists in a specific region in Spain, this paper applies
a statistical model of discrete choice to any Spanish region endowed
with geographic, landscaping, and socioeconomic resources large
enough to become an important destination in the Mediterranean area
of Spain in the near future.
The Modern Rural Tourist Profile
In most Western countries, rural tourism has long been present. In
fact, written evidence exists since the 19th century about the increasing
interest displayed by medium to higher classes in visiting rural zones.
Some remarkable initial location factors were the relative proximity to
urban nucleus, curative hot springs and other health based resources,
and access to trains. The rapid industrialization and urban development in the most advanced countries during the 19th and especially
the 20th century, gave rise to deep changes in the political and economic position of rural societies. As Cavaco notes (1995), a strong emigration from the countryside to the city took place in Europe with
most returning hometown for holidays, a pattern which has persisted
to the present.
Groups of families organized their holidays every year, showing an
absolute loyalty to the chosen destination, a low level of expenses and
a lack of interest towards the supply of complementary services. This
mass was able to multiply the population of many rural zones during
vacation periods and even to become the basis for their economic progress due to extra profits accumulated during high season (usually
summertime). This, in part, led to the long-standing traditions of rural
tourism based on farm accommodation in a number of countries,
including Switzerland, Austria, Sweden and Germany (Sharpley and
Sharpley 1997:52). This practice took root in Spain especially in the
60s as traditional rural tourism by being the precursor of the current
rural type (Cruz 1993).
For many, traditional rural tourism in Spain means enjoying holiday
periods away from home. It also involves an opportunity to revitalize
a great number of isolated and disfavored towns, during both summer
periods and shorter vacations like Christmas and Holy Week. This
movement has enabled the rural society to get in touch with the urban
world. Nevertheless, and despite recognition of some worthy economic
impacts, the traditional tourism on its own often fails to create employment opportunities and business environments attractive enough to
retain the host population, which keeps on emigrating. Consequently,

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at least in Spain, the traditional tourism has failed to nurture and boost
a sustainable local development.
In the last two decades and more so in the 90s, there has been a
growing presence of new modalities of tourists in rural spaces, with a
pattern of behavior clearly different from the homecoming motivation
mostly inherent in the traditional rural tourism. In OECD countries
and especially in Spain, an increased tendency in urban people to
choose rural zones for their holiday destination has been combined
(a phenomenon first noted by Bote (1988)). This new framework turns
around a new profile of the modern rural tourist (a new denomination not yet spread in the literature). It has probably emerged due
to growing demand, together with the renewed strength acquired by
two brand new motivating shafts: environmental quality and the search
for the authentic. Other contributing factors are the growing tendency
towards splitting holiday periods, no longer concentrated entirely during the summer, and the preference for short distance travels.
With regard to the supply, tourists expect to make a much deeper
and profitable use of the landscaping, environmental, natural and
architectural resources. Their contributions to the rural economy can
be expressed not only in financial terms, but also in the creation of
new types of jobs, in addition to injecting new vitality into traditionally
weakened economies. Well managed and focused rural tourism might
become a new source of income and employment and, at the same
time, fulfil the broader role of breaking down social isolation and
encouraging the repopulation of such non-urban communities
(Cavaco 1995). On the whole, tourism is responsible for up to 17
potential benefits related to rural development (Broom 1992; Crosby
1993; Gannon 1994; OECD 1994; Sharpley and Sharpley 1997:4041).
Obviously, there is progress in any activities when suitable conditions, both supply and demand, are gathered. An enormous variety
of factors at individual level influence the demand for rural tourism
(Sharpley and Sharpley 1997:56). A list of factors responsible for its
present growth are summarized by Gilbert (1989); Cavaco (1995);
Curry (1994), and Sharpley and Sharpley (1997).
According to some studies during the last 20 years in Spain (Bardon
1987, 1990; Bote 1987, 1988; Candela 1992; Fuentes 1995), the new
tourism types are the most appropriate in Spanish rural areas,
especially addressed to the population between 25 and 45 years old,
with high sociocultural level, medium-high purchasing power, and
urban area living. This segment displays a proactive attitude towards
enjoying typical rural activities, including sports, agriculture-related
labors, and landscape viewing, among others. Such tourists take advantage of existing supplies, including small charminghotels and small
living rooms and bedrooms on farms. This type of tourist spends more
than a traditional one in cultural and natural resources.
Study Methods
This empirical study of the Spanish region of El Alto Palancia
(located in the east side of the Iberian Peninsula, close to the Mediter-

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ranean sea) was undertaken during the summer of 1997. The region,
made up of 29 towns and villages, features remarkable artistic-historical
assets and attractive natural resources (mainly water springs). Surrounded by the mountain range of Espada n and Calderona and furrowed by the Palancia river, the region covers 99,717 hectares (246,400
acres), and is populated by only 23,000 inhabitants. The triangle formed by the towns of Segorbe, Soneja, and Altura is home to most of
the population (13,000). Their socioeconomic activities include small
and medium enterprises, low-profit agriculture, and an emerging tourism industry lacking key infrastructures. The rest of the township,
either the northern heaths towards Aragon or valleys scattered behind
the Espada n mountains, is still suffering from a long-lasting decline,
only revived by limited tourism projects closely associated with the
exploitation of the natural resources.
Over 50% of the population of the region, in the towns hold most
of the tertiary sector, which is the main source of employment (44%).
In the same way, the relatively scarce industrial base (representing 22%
of the manual labor) is largely concentrated in these towns. Due to
the small farmsteads (66% of the parcels less than 0.5 hectare, usually
cultivated by their owners), the agriculture is increasingly becoming a
part-time hobby handled by the aging population. The most common arbories are olive, carob, and almond trees. The fruit trees are
less common, with only cherry trees actually significant.
Tourism, despite the promotion campaigns of the last few years, continues to be merely a part-time and occasional source of income. The
Alto Palancia enjoys a great variety of built and artistic heritage
(including Roman, Mudejar, and Medieval art still found seen in some
villages), as well as forest resources (including pine and cork oak
forests) and woodland species (such as the partridge-eagle, the goshawk, wild boars, foxes, and hares). From the 19th century the region
has enjoyed a tourist flow from Valencia (the third largest Spanish city,
with over 1 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area, and located
50 km away from the study area). In its early times only bourgeoisie
of the city could afford to visit and stay in the region, but since the
latest industrial development of the 60s, repeat tourism has gained
importance. The region, endowed with a significant tourism potential,
can stop the traditional process of demographic and economic decadence.
Empirical Analysis. This study is part of a larger project intended to
investigate the profile of tourists visiting El Alto Palancia. The basis
of the fieldwork was a 23-issue questionnaire seeking data on their
demographic profiles (such as age, gender, and income level), organization of the journey (such as length of stay, accommodation choice,
and transport), as well as tastes and preferences from a list of activities
and current motivations to visit the region.
Since the maximum number of tourists during summer period was
estimated at 30,000 (according to data from the regional tourism
office), it was necessary to insure a representative sample of tourists
visiting the 28 towns. Some 600 surveys were carried out with 95%

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confidence and 4% error. All were personal interviews, conducted in

public places, and thus no questionnaires were handed out. From these
initial 600 surveys, 500 were used in this study; the remainder were
omitted due to lack of response to some questions, causing a certain
non-response bias.
In order to insure the representation of the sample, 20 villages were
randomly selected. Their number was determined following an
assigning method in proportion to the estimated flow of tourists in the
summer season. As a result, three stages were set. The first represented
a high affluence reception of tourists, formed by 4 villages (67 questionnaires were filled out per village, randomly selected in accordance
with age and gender). The second stage, composed of medium presence of tourists was made up of 6 villages (37 questionnaires filled per
village and the same statistic criteria). The third stage, made up of low
presence of tourists, included 10 villages (11 questionnaires per
village).
Statistical Methodology and Specification of the Model. The vast variety
of factors made it difficult to establish a general standard of the
demand for rural tourism. The list of factors proposed in the study to
define modern rural tourists accords with the idiosyncrasy and attributes of the Alto Palancia region. The majority of these factors had
been already stated by other studies in Spain, such as Sa ez (1995) and
Lo pez (1998). However, some of the variables included in the statistical
model proposed in this study were not shared by authors analyzing
other rural areas. More specifically, the traits that theoretically define
rural tourists as modern included a distinctive positive opinion towards
resources of the rural environment, and enjoying the listed activities in
Alto Palancia that support a proactive attitude. The participants were
relatively young, between 25 and 45 years-old, and had medium-high
income, as an expected requirement to afford a wide range of the
proposed activities.
The Logit Binomial model (Cramer, 1992) was used in this study.
This model is especially appropriate when working with endogenous
binary qualitative variables, built up from qualitative data obtained
through surveys containing a wide range of questions concerning individual behavior decisions. Its use serves to categorize the behavior patterns of a specific group of tourists visiting the Alto Palancia region,
namely those designated as modern tourists. This is a correct model
for data from a categorical questionnaire in the tourism field, as in
this empirical study, despite availability of other statistical techniques.
It should be noted that there is no objective variable to directly classify tourists as modern or traditional, as already before. Consequently,
one variable from the original questionnaire with an approximate
sense of what can be expected from modern and traditional tourists,
needs to be selected. The variable reasons to choose the region as
the holiday destination seems to fulfil this requirement. Some permanent tie with the region, such as relatives, friends, or accommodation
ownership marks the traditional tourist. On the contrary, other reasons

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to visit and stay and no apparent local roots identify the modern tourist.
In the Logit Binomial technique, in order to classify tourists, the
endogenous variable needs to be discreet taking value 1, when tourists
are not rooted in the Alto Palancia region and 0 when they are. In
general terms, the propensity for them being designated as modern
rural is given by the equation Yi = (Xi) + ui, where refers to the
logistic distribution function; ui represents the non-observable characteristics; Yi is the dependent variable taking value 1 when tourists are
not rooted in the area and 0 when they are; and Xi includes the independent variables considered in the analysis.
According to the definition given for modern rural tourists, the
model considers as independent variables the interest in certain
resources associated with rural tourism, such as natural and architectonic resources that keep their attention. These variables have been
scored from 1 to 5 depending on the interest shown on them: 3 means
a neutral or indifferent position, 1 means a total lack of interest on
the resource referred, whereas 5 indicates a maximum interest. The
main drawback to using a large number of dummy variables in a Logit
model lies in the excessive number of 0 or 1 values that might
arise, causing problems in the estimation process. For this reason, two
indexes were developed for each tourist, by aggregation of these 6
original variables: index of natural resources (Recurnat) and index of
monuments and folklore (Monufolk). The first emerges as a lineal combination of the satisfaction obtained in the variables, Rio (rivers, reservoir, and springs), Panoram (landscapes and mountains), Bosques
(forests), and Prados (meadows, cattle), scored with a 1 to 5 scale with
the same weight assigned to all. This index takes values within the 1
5 band as a continuous variable. Following the same procedure, the
index Monufolk reveals tourists interest in monuments and local folklore, and is integrated by the variables Monument (monuments), Arqpop
(popular architecture), and Folkfie (folklore and local festivities).
Another independent variable is activities that a tourist would like
to practice in the region. If tourists show interest, the activity takes
value 1, and 0 when lacking interest. The list of variables are Sendeit
for trekking, Sengui for walking or riding a bike with a guide, Alqbic
for bike rental, Visitas4 for guided tours by 44 Jeeps, Visitasp for
guided visits to points of interest, Excacab for guided visits on horse,
Equitac for horse riding, Barranco for climbing or descending ravines, Espeleol for potholing, Aladpar for hang-gliding courses, Piraguis for pirogue in quiet waters, Compral for shopping local groceries, Comprart for shopping hand-made items, Cazamay for big
game, Cazamen for small game, Pescari for fishing in rivers, Laborcam for taking part in farming labor, and Recuppa for taking part in
the patrimony restoration. From this list, only Laborcam and Recuppa
are too specific variables which cannot be gathered with the other
ones. Therefore, these two variables enter into the model in their original state, as binary variables. All the rest have been properly combined
and transformed into a few indicators (Table 1). All the indicators
range within the [0,1] band.

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Table 1. Some Indicators Included in the Logit Binomial Model

Indicators

Description

Sendypas=
Visitas=
Horses=
Actiresg=
Compras=
Cazapes=

0.3333Sendeit+0.333Sengui+0.3333Alqbic
0.5Visitas4+0.5Visitasp
0.5Equitaci+0.5Exacab
0.25Barranco+0.25Espeleol+0.25Aladpar+0.25Piraguis
0.5Compral+0.5Comprart
0.3333Cazamay+0.3333Cazamen+0.3333Pescari

Three categories of ages are considered in the model, represented

by these dummy variables: Edad1 for tourists older than 55, Edad2
for tourists between 3554, and Edad3 for tourists under 34. Edad1
will adopt value 1 when the tourist is effectively older than 55 and 0
when not. The same procedure for Edad2 and Edad3 and the variables
are introduced next. Three dummy variables have been introduced:
Estudi1, Estudi2, Estudi3, corresponding to elementary, intermediate,
and high level education. Three dummy variables integrate the model,
corresponding to three levels of income: Ingres1 for low income,
Ingres2 for medium income, Ingres3 for high income. Finally, the
variable Sexo takes value 1 when tourists are male and 0 when female.
Study Results
The main goal pursued with this empirical study is to identify the
variables that more directly define and characterize those not rooted
into the host region, the variable from the questionnaire which holds
the closest meaning to the theoretical concept of modern rural tourism. The probability of tourists falling into the modern category is
defined by the following estimated model:
Yi = (1 + 2Recurnat + 3Monufolk + 4Sendypas + 5Visitas +
6Horses + 7Actiresg + 8Compras + 9Cazapes + 10Laborcam +
11Recuppa + 12Ingres2 + 13Ingres3 + 14Estudi2 +
15Estudi3 + 16edad2 + 17Edad3 + 18Sexo) + ui
(the statistical program used for the estimate of the model was LINDEMP 7 for Windows and the results appear in Table 2).
The variables Ingres1, Estudi1, and Edad1 do not appear in the model
because they are taken as reference, in order to avoid multicollinearity
problems or dummy variables trap (Martn, Labeaga and Mocho n
1997). A major finding from the results, summarized in Table 2, is that
the only variables that meaningfully determine if tourists are modern
in Alto Palancia are Recurnat for interest in natural resources like rivers, landscapes, forests, meadows, and cattles, Sendypas for interest
in practicing trekking, excursions by 44 Jeep and excursions on bike,
Cazapes for the interest in small and big game and fishing grows;
Edad3 for tourists under 34 years old hold, and Sexo for gender.

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1108

Table 2. Maximum Likelihood Estimation of the Logit Binomial Model

Variable

Coefficient

Constant
Recurnat
Monufolk
Sendypas
Visitas
Horses
Actiresg
Compras
Cazapes
Laborcam
Recuppa
Estudi2
Estudi3
Ingres2
Ingres3
Edad2
Edad3
Sexo

1.656307910
0.2327526233
0.1750289057
1.018720118
0.1159615179
0.3201765413
0.4153496009
0.2335517944
1.276811153
0.2239429927
0.4373405209
0.4427451199
0.1312851407
0.7817286783E-03
0.1995836382
0.1742253697
0.7138238401
0.5451778780

t-Statistic
3.044
1.860
--1.511
2.370
0.385
--1.006
0.949
0.943
2.658
0.699
1.345
1.687
0.420
0.003
0.455
0.554
2.045
2.424

Critic Level
0.0023
0.0629
0.1307
0.0178
0.7005
0.3146
0.3427
0.3454
0.0079
0.4842
0.1787
0.0916
0.6748
0.9974
0.6492
0.5798
0.0409
0.0154

Number of observations 500. Log likelihood function -297.1518 Significance level

.2125136E-03.

Therefore, those not rooted in the region but interested in natural

resources, trekking, excursions on bike and 44 Jeep, but not enjoying
fishing or hunting and are male under 34 years old, are likely to be
modern rural tourists in the Alto Palancia region. As stated in Table 2,
the estimated model on the whole is significant (at .0002125136 level).
Finally, the LINDEMP 7 program provides a measure of the validity
of the model, by showing the percentage of correct predictions
(predicted value coinciding with observed value). More specifically, the
forecasting capacity of the model derives from the following formulae:
correct predictions/total number of observations=311+35/500=69.2%.
The proposed model holds a forecasting capacity of 69.2 %. The statistical analysis displays a great prevalence of tourists rooted in the
region (traditional rural) visiting the Alto Palancia region (331 of 500).
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that the distinction between modern rural and
traditional tourists is of great significance, as the first group can support and foster the development of rural zones, largely depressed so
far. Keeping this goal in mind, the main concern lies in bringing up
analytical tools suitable to detect the modern tourists. Despite the difficulties attached to using a methodology based on valuing qualitative
responses, one model based on the Logit Binomial technique is useful
to identify which variables have a greater propensity to discriminate
tourists as modern.

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Although lodging traditional rural tourists has so far enabled the

emergence of a group of secondary activity businesses directly driven
by this homecoming and familiar rooted class, their capacity to stimulate new and professional business-oriented activities has been traditionally low. This tourism arose in a spontaneous way and its repercussion has never become considerable. Consequently, more
professional and associative attitudes among local potential
entrepreneurs are required as to enhance the impact of the tourismrelated activities in the host economy in terms of wealth generation,
without causing strangulation problems. It is also incontestable to put
forward new and more elaborated supply, in order to attract those
known as modern tourists.
A brief review of the official figures available shows El Alto Palancia
region has the potential to host a sufficient amount of tourism. Nevertheless, the proportion of modern tourists remains quite small. Any
action plan targeting the development of tourism activities in this
region should keep this fact in mind.
Empirical results suggest that both traditional and modern tourists
are keen on preserving the natural resources. In other words, this
behavior is not a specific feature of the new category because either
kind of tourist displays a sensibility for the rural resources. At this juncture, the supply of a broader range of activities in the region should
certainly generate solid benefits for the local agents. That is why it
remains essential to conduct a thorough study of the demand. Among
the diverse statistical techniques, the logit Binomial model has proved
especially appropriate in detecting a few features which differentiate
the new tourists from the old.
As a major finding in this study, the model provides a profile of
modern rural tourists modality who retain a clear will to practice activities typical to El Alto Palancia, especially excursions by 44 as a way
to reach to the most hidden places. The estimated model reveals that
both the income and educational levels are not discriminative factors,
despite being at least theoretically typical attributes. Thus, in the
region, being modern tourists or not is independent from these two
factors. The proposed method and the results might be applicable to
those zones holding an idiosyncrasy similar to that of El Alto Palancia.
All the Spanish rural areas which enjoy good location and host traditional rural tourism could be included here as well as some regions
A
in other European countries.
AcknowledgementsThe author wishes to thank the comments and assistance received
from her colleagues Isidre March and Rosario Martnez of the University of Vale`ncia,
and Pilar Segarra of Francesc Ferrer High School.

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Submitted 29 December 1998. Resubmitted 14 September 2000. Resubmitted 24 October

2001. Accepted 1 December 2001. Final version 6 December 2001. Refereed anonymously.
Coordinating Editor: William C. Gartner