Medical Desert and Sustainable Tourism: Real Challenge in Our Rural Areas

On the one hand, the rural exodus, the ageing of the population, territorial inequalities in transport and digital access, and climate change, are significantly changing our rural territories. On the other hand, the change in medical practices, the evolution of pathologies, the demographic evolution of health professionals also affect our territories. We are talking about medical desertification that affects many territories in Europe, North America, ... In these territories are often National Parks, UNESCO Programs linking large spaces, traditional agricultures and touristic economies including thermalism and hydrotherapy, wellness and rehabilitation medicine, retirement tourism. Different examples of sustainable development and land-use planning policies seek to preserve these environments and are the real challenges of maintaining human activity in order to avoid desertification.