The Greenways constitute a novel and attractive resource for active tourism in Spain. The MIMAM has recently charged a research with the objective to prepare along the year 2000 reliable statistics about the influx of visitors in all the Spanish Vías Verdes built by the own MIMAM. Ecological and responsible tourism has become the most appropriate complement and alternative for the traditional beach and sun offer. In such a rugged geographical landscape as Spain´s, the Vías Verdes acquire additional qualities, since more than 500 tunnels and 1100 viaducts and bridges assure continuity and universal accessibility.
Some Greenways already have had a favourable effect on the redistribution of mass tourism: the Carrilet Vía Verde (102 km, completed in 2000) which cross a volcanic region in the foothills of the Pyrenees, arriving to the ancient city of Girona, and running into the Costa Brava. Already it received more than 120,000 visitors/year, half of whom come from other regions, particularly the Barcelona metropolitan area. The success of this route has been such, that it has encouraged local business people, hotels and restaurants owners´ to request authorisation to place advertisements for their establishments along the path. |
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