The Value Assessment and Planning of Industrial Mining Heritage as a Tourism Attraction: The Case of Las Médulas Cultural Space

Abstract

This article analyzes the heritage construction process or “heritagization” of Las Médulas gold mines, a prime example of how Spain’s mining heritage has been reused for tourism purposes. Based on a methodology combined documentary analysis and fieldwork, informal interviews with territorial actors and surveys targeting residents, this study addresses the complexities of integrating this cultural landscape into a tourism development strategy and analyzes the support and impacts perceived by the local population. The information gathered in this research is intended to facilitate the development of adequate planning and generate recommendations to mitigate the debate that has surrounded Las Médulas and confronted its stakeholders for years. The results show that the existence of multiple agents and institutions acting on the destination leads to problems of management and collaboration. In addition, the local population’s lack of involvement and awareness is also hindering integral tourism planning. There are a number of positive impacts mainly related to the increase in the tourist value of the image of the area and its historical and cultural heritage, as well as the consequences of financial management for tourism, which also help to predict the levels of support of residents to the tourist development of Las Médulas.