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market share and facing severe problems of image
and performance of its tourism industry.
In 1991, after the preparation of a White Paper
on Spanish tourism and serious concern in the
private and public sectors about the future of the
industry, a new government decided on the
preparation of a coordinated business strategy with
the Comunidades AutoÂnomas. After months of conceptual
work and continuous discussion with the
tourism business leaders, the trade unions and the
governments of the autonomous communities, a
tourism policy plan, called Plan Futures, was agreed
by all and signed by the central government and
the regions in June 1992. Its first period of
application was 1992±5 and its second stage rang
from 1996±9.
The Plan Futures sets a framework for the
product, communication, distribution and environmental
tourism policies of all decision makers in
Spanish tourism, at central, regional and local
level, in the public as well as in the private sector.
This plan is meant to be a horizontal instrument of
economic policy, not intending to force action at
any concrete location or in any specific activity, but
creating a range of economic, financial and legal
instruments for use by the tourism industry. Public
budgets at all levels of government are supposed to
back the implementation of the plan, and use of
European funds is also possible within its frame;
partnership action with the private sector is central
to its philosophy.
The Plan Futures has sought to improve the
competitiveness of the Spanish tourism industry by
acting in three main areas: coordination �national
and international, vertical and horizontal), modernisation
�technology, human resources, process
re-engineering, and the like), and product quality
and diversification, promotional and environmental
quality �nature and built). Thousands of
applications for partial funding of projects within
these areas are processed each year by the central
and regional governments. In the first stage of
Futures, all final decisions on funding were taken at
central level, after screening by the Comunidades
AutoÂnomas. Today, the funds are distributed among
them and the applications are considered by the
corresponding regional government. Only projects
of a multiregional or national scope are evaluated
at central level.
Worthy of specific mention within Futures is the
action taken on Planes de Excelencia �environmental
quality). In the six years of operation of Futures,
some twenty tourism destinations have been chosen
for integral quality action. The Spanish Department
of Tourism, together with the regional and
local government and tourism business associations,
took the initial lead in defining needs and
adopting priority actions. Other government
departments and individual businesses later joined
in.
This policy, and a favourable situation in
Mediterranean and global markets in the last
years, has resulted in high and stable rates of
growth for Spanish tourism �There was a 12 per
cent increase in foreign receipts in 1997). Several
mechanisms for public±private partnership have
been created to facilitate cooperation between
them at all levels. 1997 saw accelerated growth of
the tourism private sector in the country, the
adoption of a more detailed Plan de Estrategias en
Materia TurõÂstica �strategic plan in tourism) and the
celebration of a National Conference in Tourism,
bringing together some 2,000 decision makers.
Although the problems of the late 1980s have not
been entirely solved, the Spanish tourism industry
seems to be more ready for the challenges and
opportunities of the coming years.
Further reading
Spain 551
Congreso Nacional de Turismo. Conclusiones y Medidas
Adoptadas �1997) Madrid: Ministerio de EconomõÂa
y Hacienda. SecretarõÂa de Estado de
Comercio, Turismo y PequenÄa y Mediana
Empresa.
Futures:Plan Marco de Competitividad del Turismo
EspanÄol 1992±95 �1992) Madrid: Ministerio de
Industria, Comercio y Turismo. SecretarõÂa
General de Turismo.
Futures:Memoria de EjecucioÂn del Plan Marco de
Competitividad del Turismo EspanÄol 1992±95 �1992)
Madrid: TurespanÄa, Instituto de Turismo de
EspanÄa.
Futures:Plan Marco de Competitividad del Turismo
EspanÄol 1996±99 �1996) Madrid: TurespanÄa,
SecretarõÂa General de Turismo.
Informe Anual del Movimiento TurõÂstico en Fronteras
�Frontur) 1997 �1998) Madrid: Ministerio de