Los nuevos usos del patrimonio: la expansión de hoteles boutique en Palma (Mallorca)

Abstract

Urban policies aimed at promoting tourism in Palma from the year 2000 onwards have had an impact on heritage conservation and uses. The proliferation of boutique hotels in unique buildings in the old town is a direct consequence of these policies as well as the gentrification being seen in the city. The main aims of this paper are to analyse new dynamics linked to urban tourism and, in particular, the rising number of hotels in the historic centre. This includes a dual-scale impact evaluation showing the effects on how heritage is used and how the historic centre functions as a city. The current urban-tourist dynamic is placing some heritage locations at risk, including decontextualisation and loss of identity. This leads us to believe that we are currently at a key moment for re-thinking the city and opening up new debates on the interaction between heritage sites and tourism in Palma. These discussions should move towards implementing measures that ensure the continuity and sustainability of heritage sites, whilst valuing their diversity.Los nuevos usos del patrimonio: la expansión de hoteles boutique en Palma (Mallorca)

Explaining Urban Sustainability to Teachers in Training through a Geographical Analysis of Tourism Gentrification in Europe

“…Tourism is a phenomenon with a long tradition in Europe that has important effects on the culture, environment and economy of countries [1]. One of the most recent focuses in this area has been the impacts of tourism in urban centres, especially in heritage cities, where there is a strong conflict in the use and values of space [2].…”

Hotel Rooftops as a Space for Consumption in Historic Centres: The Case Study of Palma (Spain)

“…The aim was not only to increase the number of visitors but also to allow them to stay in the city centre. As a result, tourist activity has been taking over the city centre through the proliferation of tourist rental housing [39,40] and the conversion of historic buildings into hotels [41,42]. As a result, Palma has become an urban destination of global reference.…”

“…Other works have addressed the commercial gentrification, such as that of Blázquez-Salom et al [44], which focused on the transformation of retail shops as a result of overtourism, and that of Morales [18], who analysed the appropriation of public space through the installation of bar and restaurant terraces. Other studies have focused on the effects of current urban-tourist dynamics on heritage [41,45]. Finally, studies such as those by Gutiérrez et al [46] have focused on the analysis of public policies in the face of the city's touristification.…”

“…It is worth noting that the growth was so strong that the Palma City Council approved a moratorium on licences between 2017 and 2019 for the opening of new tourist establishments in the historic centre. However, as Novo Malvárez [41] points out, the measure was permissive towards high-end boutique hotels, which continued to grow.…”

Didactic use of GIS and Street View for Tourism Degree students: understanding commercial gentrification in large urban destinations

“…Tourism is a modern phenomenon that has important effects on the culture, the environment, and the economy of societies throughout the World (Santamaria & Filis, 2019). Currently, one of the major focuses is on the impacts of tourism in urban centers (Novo Malvárez, 2019). Embedded in the broader context of globalization, the process of "touristification" refers to the intensification of tourist use in urban central spaces (Navarrete Escobedo, 2017).…”