Is it possible to promote tourism initiatives that contribute to responsible and inclusive tourism while combating depopulation?

The project "Inclusive Experiences Against Depopulation" RurAll, funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, aims to bring tourism to any territory in an inclusive manner through replicability, while simultaneously fighting against depopulation.

In Spain, rural areas (less than 30,000 inhabitants and with a population density of less than 100 inhabitants/km2) cover 84% of the country's surface, but only house 15.9% of the population. This 84% of the territory is what we know as the Empty Spain - which is not empty because, in most cases, it lacks a voluntarist component. 

Inclusive experiences against depopulation aims to delve into the development of rural tourist destinations from an inclusion perspective. This extends to the realm of accessibility, allowing enjoyment of tourist experiences for all people, regardless of their physical, sensory, or cognitive abilities. 

It also expands into the realm of equality and gender perspective, especially in a rural context where the contribution of women holds invaluable significance. For this reason, the project aims to advocate for and disseminate the value of women's roles in rural environments as a fundamental component of their territories' development.

The rural territories participating in the project share a common characteristic: they all suffer from the continuous loss of residents and consequently, depopulation. The Comarca of Molina de Aragón (Alto Tajo) and Oliete (Teruel) are the identified origin territories, where the two experiences to be replicated are located, in the other three territories we call “destination”, located in Sepúlveda (Castilla y León), Estercuel - Monasterio del Olivar (Teruel) and Chiclana de Segura (Jaén).