Landscape as Digital Content and a Smart Tourism Resource in the Mining Area of Cartagena-La Unión (Spain)

Abstract

This research makes a highly relevant contribution to the scientific analysis of the mining landscape using the example of Cartagena-La Unión (Spain). The landscape is interpreted from a twin perspective: as a type of digital content offered to visitors and as a highly valuable scenic tourism resource. The article features an extensive bibliographical review and offers different perspectives on the relationship between landscape, tourism, and smart promotion. The method used is both qualitative and quantitative due to the presentation of statistical data. It describes a purpose-designed form used for analyzing the landscape in question and a synthetic landscape assessment index, as a result of creating and using different indicators. Extensive field work and consultation with several sources provided information about the enclave, how much it appeals to visitors, and their level of satisfaction. The results achieved offer a new scientific vision of what a spectacular cultural landscape, and a point of reference for “mining heritage tourism”, can represent.