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Like most nations dependent on tourist trade, Spain was concerned about the underutilization, and sometimes overutilization, of facilities that was caused by seasonal variation in weather. These variations caused marked differentials in monthly tourist revenues and international trade receipts. July and August were the most active months; February was the least active. Efforts were made to develop winter sports facilities in order to increase the number of tourists visiting Spain during the colder months; however, competition from France, Switzerland, and Austria, where snow conditions were more reliable, constituted a formidable obstacle to success in this area.
Tourism in general and therefore, also rural tourism, is under competence of the Autonomous Regions (similar to “Länder” in Germany). The result is a very different understanding and approach to rural tourism from region to region.
The rural tourism sector represented less than 10% (capacity) and 5% (revenue) of the whole tourism sector in 2009. The high quantitative growth generates an excess of capacity in many regions, resulting in a low annual occupancy rate of 16.10% (2009).
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1.3.4. Spain | Definition and Mission |
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