Air transport plays a key role especially in countries where tourism has a great impact on the economy. In Spain, the contribution made by this industry to GPD stands at EUR 119 billion, representing 11% of GDP. This case study focuses on the Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport due to the growth the city has experienced in recent years. The research examines the impacts of this infrastructure from the perceptions of residents and tourists. We conducted 638 questionnaires and 50 interviews with residents, and 165 questionnaires and 106 interviews with international tourists from August 2019 to January 2020. A qualitative thematic analysis was carried out using the NVivo Pro software. The findings indicate that residents value the ease of travel and employment generated by the airport. However, they are concerned about the environment impacts and mass tourism. For tourists, almost no negative impacts are recorded. Residents and tourists consider the existence of positive effects on other nearby cities of Andalusia. Conclusions have practical and theoretical implications for impact researches.

The pandemic caused by the coronavirus continues to test barriers around the world. In this sense, the tourism industry has become the sector most affected by the crisis with more than 900 million euros in losses. Recovery will require a great effort, especially in countries where the sector accounts for a large share of the economy and employment. This study analyzes the perceptions and proposals of the residents of the autonomous community of Andalusia. A total of 658 surveys were conducted during the closure. A quantitative and qualitative thematic analysis was carried out using SPSS and NVivo Pro programs. The findings provide significant insights into the economic recovery of society after the pandemic. The Andalusians have opted for local tourism so that the residents become the consumers of the tourist products of their territory. The deployment of new technologies and marketing campaigns should provide the basic strategies for structural changes and innovations. The residents demand a united Europe and disagree with the statements of some political leaders. The conclusions have practical and theoretical implications for tourist destinations.

Stakeholders’ participation is critical to implementing sustainable development models at mass tourism destinations. Through the application of a mixed methodology focused on the collection, processing, and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, this study analyzes the perception of residents, accommodation establishments, the academic community, and tourists in the city of Seville, since they are the possible agents of change in the current model. In addition, the study of perceptions provides information to extract a definition of mass tourism for these groups. Findings show that the majority of those surveyed affirm the presence of mass tourism in the city, and choose carrying capacity as an instrument to predict this type of tourism. We also show that, while mass tourism is not a sustainable model, its transformation is possible. As a consequence, the tourists’, destination’s and local population’s tolerance limits would determine the size and direction of the tourist impact.

Airports have become fundamental axes of the economy of many countries. In Spain, the airports managed by Aena1 ended 2019 with more than 274.4 million passengers, which was 4.4% more than the previous year. They are not only important for tourism but also for other sectors that depend on imports and exports. For years, the impact measurements have included the IO tables, but we are now questioning whether they constitute the best measurement model. The research reveals that the main problem is the application of different methodologies used by airports and countries. For this reason, we propose a model to measure the economic impact of the Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport that incorporates the importance of the tourism. This study is conceived as a guide for studying the impacts of any airport around the world. The review reveals that the social accounting matrix with changes in the variables involved is the best available measurement model. The conclusions reflect that the qualitative point of view is necessary. This can provide data that, together with previous studies, will result in multidisciplinary research that will allow us to gain a much deeper understanding of these infrastructures. The conclusions have practical and theoretical implications for impact studies.

Transportation has demonstrated its hegemonic position in the aftermath of the pandemic. In fact, despite the paralysis of many industries, transportation has continued its activity, demonstrating its value and resilience. As a result, it is one of the sectors with the more significant presence in global economies. Therefore, this research analyzes the thematic evolution of the relationship between transportation and the economy through scientific mapping and performance analysis. For this purpose, a study was carried out with all articles published on the Web of Science from 1900 to June 2022. The concurrence of authors, journals, research centers, keywords, documents, countries, and h-index was analyzed. SciMat and VOSviewer were used for insertion, de-duplication, normalization, categorization, analysis, interpretation, and graphical representation.The results have shown that, during periods of crisis such as the last pandemic, scientific production increases and the number of topics also doubles. However, sustainability, environment, and impact studies are the driving themes, so future lines of research may focus on different aspects or delve into relationships that do not only measure the economic and environmental impact of a transport infrastructure.

In 2019, stakeholders of the capital of the Costa del Sol opened a broad debate on the sustainability of the destination. The saturation of the natural environment, gentrification, and even tourismphobia became the main challenges. However, the pandemic has completely paralyzed the tourist activity causing the need for a new beginning. The closing of borders has meant that residents are also the only visitors to their territory, allowing them to rediscover their ecosystem. This chapter aims to analyze the role of residents in protecting their destination. We conducted 476 questionnaires with residents from February to June 2021. A quantitative and qualitative thematic analysis was carried out using the NVivo Pro software and SPSS. The findings underscore the residents’ lack of knowledge of the environment. They positively value the recovery of the ecosystem after the confinement and, although they do not know how they can contribute to a sustainable coexistence, they ask for more political support. They state that ecosystem protection goes hand in hand with tourism so that what is important to tourists is protected. In short, the ecosystem is protected due to its economic value and not for its impact on the well-being or conservation of the world.