TOURISTIC INFRASTRUCTURE

It includes basic works, generally of state action, in terms of access,

communications, water supplies, waste disposal, ports, airports, etc.

Touristic infrastructure
One of the most basic elements of construction is the infrastructure of the
region, which consists of the entire surface and the development of the
construction on it. Such as the water supply system, gas lines, drainage
system, roads, communication routes and many commercial facilities
(Goeldener and Ritchie, 2011, p. 329).
Blanco (2008: p. 18) defines tourism infrastructure as the provision of
goods and services that a territory has to sustain its social and productive
structures and as such conditions tourism development.
The following are part of it:

 Basic services: Water, electricity, telephone, garbage collection,

sanitary network, etc.
 Transport: Ports, airports, bus, taxi.
 Roads: Existing routes, status.
 Services: Commerce, health, education, communications, etc.

The general infrastructure is the basis for a destination to be in conditions

that allow the population the ease of developing as an active society. For
its part, the tourist infrastructure, as mentioned, allows for tourist
development, which is why there must be strategic plans and procedures
so that each destination maintains said infrastructure so that the tourist
enjoys and feels comfortable according to the facilities or services that he
or she has. require.
Table 2 presents each of the components that make up the general basic
infrastructure of any destination, same elements that are essential to
facilitate the stay of tourists.
According to the Ministry of Tourism (2005), tourism infrastructure must
be available to all the people who make up a community, whether
residents or visitors, its basic function is to satisfy the needs of the
community.
Needs: Health, education, recreation, accessibility, water, electricity,
sanitation, etc., when talking about infrastructure (e.g. 76).
 Another component of the tourist offer is the tourist attractions, which are
the main reason for tourists to travel.

Tourist attraction
The Ministry of Tourism (2002) states that truly authentic attractions are
those that have not been “invented”, natural landscapes or aspects of
local culture that are unique, cannot be copied and constitute a
competitive advantage. On the contrary, there are regions that depend on
man-made attractions such as casinos or theme parks. These types of
attractions present a greater risk to competition because they do not offer
anything that cannot be replicated elsewhere and they must constantly
introduce changes to maintain their competitive position (e.g. 30).
Likewise, the Ministry of Tourism (2002) explains that for resources to
become tourist attractions, a certain degree of development is necessary
to make them attractive, accessible and visitable (p.33).
Gartner, William (1996) mentions that attractions have the power to
“attract” visitors and can stimulate tourism growth. Without attractions that
generate visits, the potential of a destination will remain untapped.
Attractions can be very different and will attract the attention of different
segments of demand, although the conditions of the environment in which
it is located, as well as the tourism development model (type and density
of construction, etc.), will also have an influence on the final attraction of
the destination.
Law (1993) points out that two factors contribute to the attractiveness of a
tourist region. Firstly, the climate, ecology, cultural traditions, traditional
architecture, and land formations appear. Second, destinations are the
development introduced specifically for tourists, such as hotels,
transportation, activities and attractions (e.g. 14).
Tabares (2007) explains that within tourist attractions it is important to
study their ranking, since this determines their quality, that is, the main
reason for the investment. Of course, if they are of low quality,
productivity will be low due to low demand (p.14).
Goeldener and Ritchie (2011) cite Gum (1972) who believes that without
tourist attractions there would be no tourism. Without tourism there would
be no tourist attractions (p.291).
Likewise, Goeldener and Ritchie (2011) explain that attractions can be
classified in different ways (figure 7). One of the categories that first
comes to mind is theme or amusement park. The history of these
attractions dates back to medieval Europe, when place gardens were
created. These gardens were the precursors of today's parks, fairground
rides, fireworks, dancing and games (p.211).
Table 4 presents another classification of tourist attractions proposed by
Boullón (2004) which is divided into 4 main categories made up of a large
number of tourist attractions.
According to Gartner (1996), a tourist attraction can be a single place or
several small attractions grouped together. Almost anything can be turned
into a tourist attraction with the right amount of imagination, planning and
development. That is why there are three possible strategies:
1. Develop completely artificial attractions, for example:

 Facilities such as theme parks, vacation resorts (club hotels,

curhotels), golf courses, conference centers, aquariums,
waterfronts, etc.
 Special events: Annual festivals or various events can generate
significant flows of tourists, even in a short period of time.

2. Promote the practice of recreational activities in places with a certain

attraction, but that perhaps on their own would not justify a trip. This
option may require the development of small infrastructure and
organizational means (bridges, trails, walkways, docks, bird
observatories, etc.) that facilitate the practice of sports and recreational
activities such as: cycling, hiking, fishing, bird watching, etc
3. Group attractions of the same type or related ones to create a route or
destination brand that increases the value of the whole, examples:
Colonial Treasures of central Mexico or the Mayan Route. As Gartner
says “an old building is an old building, but ten old buildings make up a
historic center.” In this way, attractions that on their own would not have
sufficient attractive power can be grouped with similar ones and become
a primary attraction for stays or itinerant tourism. This will not only
increase its attractiveness, but will reduce promotion costs (economies of
scale) and improve the range of activities. Other examples of this type of
approach are: the Slave Route (Africa), the Silk Road (Asia), the Camino
de Santiago (Spain), the Cathar Country Route (Southern France), etc.