## 1 Introduction
Against this background, the author proposes three specific questions to stage the true situation of Spain as a destination with water use restrictions due to climate change and its great impact on the desertification of this territory [23]. **RQ1. **: Should the availability of water for residents take precedence over tourists, or vice versa? **RQ2. **: How can government bodies act most effectively and timely to reduce water consumption? **RQ3. **: How can researchers tackle the problem of water consumption in the tourism industry? **2. Literature Review and Relevance Data**  
_2.1. A Lack of Water in Spain Is a Serious Problem to Solve_  
OECD [24] reported that more than 74% of the Spanish territory is at risk of desertification, with Spain being the third European country with the highest water stress. The Spanish central government and its autonomous regions manage water policies and water resource allocation in close cooperation. Nonetheless, there is a lack of investment in water and sanitation by government bodies, and these deficiencies are one of the reasons why Spain holds the European record for the European Union (EU) sanctions for noncompliance in water treatment [25]. Spain has nearly 1300 reservoirs that help manage droughts and floods and make up for a lack of rain [26]. Water consumption differs at the regional level depending on tourism demand, location, and water resources [18], which are rather limited in Spain. The Spanish government faced an unprecedented water crisis in 2023 when the native population, Spanish farmers, and tourism companies demanded this problem be resolved quickly. Spain exports a large part of its agricultural production to European countries; the tourism industry is the main activity of the country; and on top of this, Catalonia declared, for the first time, the emergency of drought and the extension of water restrictions as a consequence of a lack of rain in the region and the swamps being at historical minimum levels in August 2023 [27]. This research addresses a complex social, economic, and political topic where each of the interested parties (residents, companies, and government bodies) tries to push its demands with the aim of protecting its own interests. Water is a natural resource that requires a specific strategic dimension for tourism and agricultural activities, even more so when its availability is not guaranteed [28]. Considering the fact that water is an essential input for Spanish tourism, Figure 1 illustrates zones of water scarcity in Spain and the main reservoirs by consumption in cubic hectometres in 2023. Cadiz, Malaga, Cordoba, Badajoz, Toledo, Murcia, Burgos, Lerida, and Tarragona provinces are in serious emergency situations (red colour) due to water supply (see Panel A of Figure 1). Moreover, Andalusia, Catalonia, Aragon, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla and Leon, and Extremadura regions remain in a pre-alert state (orange colour). This means that the most water-stressed Spanish regions must provide efficient and sustainable solutions to resolve the serious problem of water consumption. In Panel B of Figure 1, which presents the total capacity of reservoirs in 2023, the Tajo and Guadiana River basins have the greatest water retention capacity thanks to the La Serena (Badajoz) and Alcantara (Caceres) reservoirs in Extremadura. Most reservoirs have a water capacity of 5 cubic hectometres in the Spanish territory, particularly in coastal areas where the tourism industry is concentrated demanding greater water resources. Mass tourism is a problem around the entire Spanish coast due to the unrestrained urban development of houses and hotels with high water consumption. Spain undoubtedly faces a short-term challenge with high water consumption by the tourism industry and tourists [19; 29].