Measuring proximity tourism in Spain after the pandemic. An Origin-Destination Matrix approach

Abstract

This work aims to provide more clarity around the concept of proximity tourism giving an overview of how tourist flows changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of proximity changed over the years in different ways. Indeed, if in the past it was understood only on a geographical or physical level, today it makes sense to talk about the different typologies of proximity such as cultural, political, and social. The economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the growing importance of domestic tourism. We use an Origin-Destination (O/D) Matrix approach, considering trips made to Spain in the three years 2019-2021. The idea is to build three matrices containing the coefficients of attraction. This is the first time that this methodology is used on Spanish data to understand the dynamic behind the different Spanish regions in terms of tourism proximity. This study is relevant in terms of political decision-makers and can bring to stimulate tourism within the national territory and encourage local mobility. Proximity tourism is a different way of doing tourism than foreign travel because it allows for greater sustainability in line with the needs of the time, turns out to be a different way of vacationing, and supports local destinations that are often vulnerable.