Tourist destinations and creative capital: The case of costa del sol in Southern Spain

Abstract

Certain tourist destinations have increased their connectivity, becoming more dynamic places in accordance with the trends of the contemporary world, where the creative class develops in its habitat. The research analyses the relationship between tourism development and creative capital on Costa del Sol a mass tourist destination in southern Spain. The quantitative results found a dynamic known in other tourist areas of the Mediterra-nean: the creativity index is located in areas made up of major urban agglomerations and tourist destinations, where Tolerance, Technology and Talent are combined. This is the basis of the quality of location (Territory) where the qualitative study shows a greater per-ception of balance between the development of professional life oriented to the global market and the hedonistic lifestyle, oriented to enjoyment of quality of life and pleasure. The results confirm how destinations are transferred to tourist activities, becoming more complex territories.