Spain is Different

6th-year NEI (New Intermediate Stage) students have embarked on the interdisciplinary project Spain is Different, an educational initiative that combines research, critical analysis, and creativity to reflect on tourism as a driver of social, economic, and cultural change in Spain.

Through this project, students explore the evolution of Spain’s tourism model, from the mass tourism boom driven by historical campaigns and cinema to the current challenges linked to sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Learning through experience and research

The project starts with a key question: Is another kind of tourism possible? To answer it, the students analyse their own families’ experiences as tourists, investigate different tourism models over time, and study the country’s physical, political, and economic geography.

Across the subjects of Social and Natural Sciences (Coneixement del Medi), Language and Literature, and Visual and Plastic Arts Education, students develop skills such as:

• Searching for and critically analysing information from different sources.
• Interpreting cultural and audiovisual expressions.
• Studying natural and cultural heritage.
• Producing written and multimodal texts.
• Cooperative work and self-regulation of learning.

In addition, the project incorporates the responsible use of digital tools and the analysis of historical, advertising, and cinematographic sources to understand how tourism has transformed Spanish society.

A real challenge: guiding families toward a sustainable trip

The main challenge posed to the students was clear: How can we help families organise a sustainable trip around Spain?

In response, the working teams have designed sustainable tourism guides proposing responsible alternatives to the mass tourism model. These guides promote respect for the environment, local communities, and cultural and natural heritage.

These proposals will be presented at SOStour, the project’s final product, where each group will share its guide as a synthesis of the learning achieved. The website will host all the proposals, becoming a collaborative space for inspiration to help plan future holidays in a more conscious and sustainable way.

Education to transform the future

Spain is Different not only addresses academic content but also fosters a critical and committed perspective toward the environment. Students reflect on the relationship between human actions and the natural world, analyse the economic and social impact of tourism, and propose creative solutions aligned with a sustainable development model.