Caravaca de la Cruz and the Levante Way (Murcia): social and economic impacts on the first spiritual and cultural itinerary in south eastern Spain

The thirteenth century is considered the instigation of the emergence of Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia) as a place of pilgrimages. After its appointment “in perpetuum” as a jubilee city in 1998, this enclave has exponentially increased the number of pilgrims and tourists, becoming the first spiritual and cultural itinerary of the Spanish SE. The various initiatives in the promotion of tourism have established a process of continued valorization with important phases of stagnation in the non-jubilee years. Therefore, a greater consolidation and fixation of this tourist product is required. The indicators and data used indicate through the SWOT tool a series of actions in areas of essential improvement for the promotion of tourism that would help to improve local development, level of well-being, increase in employment or recovery of heritage in a city and region that is It is below the socioeconomic indicators at the regional and state level but with enormous potential as an attractive space for religious, cultural and nature tourism.