Gema Ramírez-Guerrero

Las herramientas SIG de lógica difusa permiten valorar el paisaje en su conjunto, más allá de la rígida conectividad propia del análisis de redes, para seleccionar rutas discriminando flexiblemente temáticas y niveles de esfuerzo o confort climático estacional deseados. Este artículo propone un método de selección de rutas acordes a las preferencias temáticas de los usuarios utilizando indicadores cualitativos del carácter predominante de las rutas, naturalistas o culturales; y parámetros cuantitativos para seleccionar las pendientes y temperaturas medias estacionales deseadas. Esta información reduce la incertidumbre de los usuarios y, con ella, la vulnerabilidad de territorios con componente turística. El análisis de los datos generados por los usuarios abre la posibilidad de implementar un SIG participativo susceptible de sustentar la construcción social del paisaje cultural.

Cultural ecosystem services are difficult to evaluate due to their subjective nature and the lack of indicators of the benefits they provide to people. This study applied an innovative methodology to assess the cultural landscape’s ecosystem services in the coastal countryside of La Janda in Cádiz, Spain, based on heritage assets situated outside urban centers. After identifying 700 cultural landmarks scattered throughout La Janda that represent the region’s cultural values and foster feelings of identity and belonging at a local level, public domain routes totaling 243.78 km have been selected to appreciate them. These routes have been incorporated into an Android application, enabling users to access a bibliographic summary of the landmarks and generate data on social preferences when contemplating cultural heritage. Integrated into a Public Participation Geographic Information System, these data serve as an indicator for evaluating cultural ecosystem services and support efforts to conserve and enhance the cultural capital spread across the territory. These data also allow for the identification of symbolic and emotional values linked to place identity, offering valuable inputs for sustainable place-branding strategies that promote the territory beyond conventional tourism models.

Tourism development in coastal zones is often guided by marketing strategies focused on promotion, without real integration with the ecological, identity, and planning challenges facing these territories. This disconnection compromises environmental resilience, dilutes local cultural identity, and hinders adaptive governance in contexts of increasing tourism pressure and climate change. In response to this problem, the article presents the concept of Blue Marketing, a place-based, sustainability-oriented approach designed to guide communication, product development, and governance in marine and coastal destinations. Drawing on socio-environmental marketing and inspired by Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), the study proposes a Blue Marketing Decalogue (BMD), structured into three thematic blocks: (1) Ecosystem-focused sustainability, (2) cultural identity and territorial uniqueness, and (3) strategic planning and adaptive governance. Methodologically, the decalogue is empirically grounded in a territorial diagnosis of the Barbate–Vejer coastal corridor (Cádiz, Spain), developed through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), local planning documents, and field observations. This case study provides a detailed analysis of ecological vulnerabilities, cultural resources, and tourism dynamics, offering strategic insights transferable to other coastal contexts. The BMD incorporates both strategic and normative instruments that support the design of responsible tourism communication strategies, aligned with environmental preservation, community identity, and long-term planning. This contribution enriches current debates on sustainable tourism governance and provides practical tools for coastal destinations aiming to balance competitiveness with ecological responsibility. Ultimately, Blue Marketing is proposed as a vector for transformation, capable of reconnecting tourism promotion with the sustainability challenges and opportunities of coastal regions.

The growing complexity of coastal tourism requires marketing strategies that go beyond promotion and align with the ecological, cultural, and planning dynamics of coastal territories. This article introduces the concept of Blue Marketing, a place-based, sustainability-oriented approach designed to guide communication, product design, and governance in marine and coastal destinations. Building on socio-environmental marketing and inspired by Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), the study proposes a Blue Marketing Decalogue (BMD) of strategic principles structured into three thematic blocks: (1) ecosystem-focused sustainability, (2) cultural identity and territorial uniqueness, and (3) strategic planning and adaptive governance. The decalogue has been empirically informed by a territorial analysis of the Barbate–Vejer coastal corridor (Cádiz, Spain), but is conceived as a flexible and transferable framework applicable to diverse coastal contexts. It incorporates both strategic and normative instruments that support the design of communication strategies aligned with environmental preservation, community identity, and long-term planning. This contribution enriches theoretical debates on the role of marketing in sustainable tourism and provides practical guidance for coastal destinations seeking to balance competitiveness with ecological responsibility. Ultimately, Blue Marketing is proposed as a vector for transformation, capable of reconnecting tourism promotion with the sustainability challenges and opportunities of coastal regions.

This paper introduces a conceptual framework that adapts the ecosystem services approach to identify the benefits of conserving cultural heritage. This novel approach aims to enhance the social valorization of this heritage. The proposed service categorization and classification are based on anthropic units that offer benefits, complementing the existing classification for services provided by biotic and non-biotic units with a systemic perspective. The Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES) and the European Union project "Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services" (MAES) serve as the primary references. The main objective is to transcend the concept of heritage as an object-based, historical, and aesthetic treasure and instead develop a more comprehensive definition that encompasses geographical, physical-natural, social, and cultural dimensions while also recognizing the value of usage. This proposal has been validated through the analysis of over 200 cultural asset cases from the European Union. It paves the way for a new avenue of research to better comprehend and appraise cultural heritage, as well as any man-made structure that provides benefits to society. By utilizing a language equivalent to the benefits associated with natural assets, we aspire to contribute to the advancement of a more integrated and interdisciplinary approach to spatial and urban planning.

"Artificial light at night (ALAN) has emerged as a growing environmental concern, with documented impacts on biodiversity, human health, and the quality of the nocturnal landscape—particularly in coastal areas where tourism exerts high seasonal pressure. In this context, the present study proposes a methodological approach to evaluate the correlation between tourism activity and light pollution levels in coastal destinations, with the aim of supporting territorial planning and the sustainable management of the night sky. The study area is the municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz, Spain), one of the main tourist hubs along the Andalusian coast. To this end, the CL-tc index (coastal tourism-related light pollution) was designed and applied, integrating VIIRS-DNB satellite data on nocturnal radiance, georeferenced inventories of tourism services, and seasonal visitor statistics. The methodology is based on a multitemporal (summer and winter), spatial, and comparative approach. Results were reclassified into quintiles to improve interpretive discrimination among zones. Additionally, a matrix of proposals linked to each index range was developed to guide differentiated actions in terms of sustainable place marketing. The results show a strong concentration of artificial radiance in areas with high seasonal tourist pressure, particularly around Novo Sancti Petri, and allow for the identification of critical, transitional, and opportunity areas. As its main contribution, this study presents a replicable tool that integrates spatial analysis, environmental sustainability, and territorial communication strategies. It concludes that sustainable place marketing can serve as a bridge between technical diagnosis and decision-making, helping to valorize the night sky as an identity-shaping and differentiating asset in the management of coastal tourism destinations."

PATRIMONIO MEDIEVAL EN LA PROVINCIA DE CÁDIZ: TERRITORIALIZACIÓN Y POTENCIALIDAD TURÍSTICA