POPULATION AND RURAL TOURISM IN LOW DEMOGRAPHIC DENSITY TERRITORIES IN SPAIN

In this paper we reflect on those rural areas suffering from a demographic decline, and about the potential that the economical activities linked to rural tourism can offer to this areas to truncate or minimize their demographic crisis. It is analyzed mainly the recent evolution of population and the causes and evolution of rural tourism. Transversely reflections on the public policies of local development and the problems of territorial organization of local areas are also made. The study area is Spain. Using a database of municipal level allows a good snapshot of the current status of the population and settlement for both, rural and urban municipalities. This information has been taken directly from the "Instituto Nacional de Estadistica" (National Institute of Statistics) and subsequently they have been georeferenced with the support of GIS, resulting in an illustrative mapping that allows us to draw some conclusions.