The Importance of the Product “Tourism in Bullfighting Ranches” in Spain from the Perspective of the Breeders

Abstract

Bullfighting tourism is a recent tourism modality that is in constant growth, and which consists of visits to bullfighting ranches with the aim of showing what life is like for this animal in its natural habitat. This activity represents a source of extra income for many breeders, but it has not yet been adequately promoted and publicized. This study analyzes the supply side of this type of tourism. For this purpose, a non-parametric statistical model has been used and results have been obtained which corroborate that the promotion of this type of tourism is scarce, and that the breeders began to offer this type of tourism to make known what life is like for the fighting bull in the countryside and to increase their income. Furthermore, in this study, it is fundamental to differentiate between bullfighting and bullfighting tourism so that this type of tourism can reach the greatest possible number of people and not be influenced by thoughts against bullfighting, as they are different activities.

1. Introduction

The socioeconomic development of many inland areas of Spain, including the autonomous community of Extremadura, depends on diversification and taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by its territory. Only in this way will it be able to face the problems that beset them, both economically and demographically.

Extremadura is a region with a population of only 1,059,501 inhabitants. This low demographic volume represents only 2.2% of the country’s population. Therefore, its population density is low. Law 45/2007, of 13 December 2007, for the sustainable development of the rural environment [1] considers it to be, for the most part, a rural area, as stated in Article 3 of said law. It is considered as such due to the geographic space formed by the aggregation of municipalities or minor local entities defined by the competent administrations that have a population of less than 30,000 inhabitants and a density of less than 100 inhabitants per km². At the same time, it is made up of small rural municipalities characterized by having a resident population of less than 5000 inhabitants and being integrated into the rural environment.

The low number of residents is due to the significant migratory flows that have taken place since the 1960s, directed to the country’s major development poles and the region’s main cities. These migratory processes were caused by the economic structure itself, with a highly developed agricultural sector and a large labor force. However, the progressive mechanization and the demand for labor from other places caused a significant demographic decline in much of Extremadura. In fact, as confirmed by the population census of different years, the region went from 1,374,495 inhabitants in 1960 to 1,105,146 in 1981, and, since then, it has fallen to 1,059,501 in 2021 [2]. This demographic weakness is accentuated in the rural territories, because of the rural exodus, which currently conditions the socioeconomic development of the region [3].

The demographic situation is complex, where low birth and fertility rates hinder the natural growth of the population, and the strong aging contributes to the increase in mortality rates. Suffice it to say that the population aged 65 and over reached 21.49% in 2022, which is above the Spanish average [4].

The demographic evolution, clearly regressive for decades, is accompanied by an economic situation that is not buoyant either, something that is clearly observed when analyzing the regional accounts. If we analyze the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in the region, it reaches only EUR 21,343, compared to EUR 28,162 on average for the country. In other words, it represents 75.8%. In fact, the Gross Domestic Product would be EUR 22,530,837,000 in 2022, with an unequal distribution among different sectors. Among them, the low contribution of the agricultural sector, estimated at EUR 1,582,318,000 and, according to the same source, a total of 37,600 employed persons and 23,200 salaried persons, was highlighted [5].

In this context, tourism was proposed decades ago as an alternative to achieve socioeconomic development, since it is considered as an engine of development [6]. Extremadura was no stranger to this trend and opted for the development of tourism, placing special emphasis on rural tourism. This effort resulted in an incessant increase in the number of vacancies in rural lodgings, but also in other types of establishments, as the literature refers to [7,8]. This was intended to reverse the serious demographic problem, although, unfortunately, this has not been achieved [9,10].

There are many reasons for this failure to develop Extremadura’s rural areas through tourism and to put a stop to depopulation and aging, despite the efforts made through the LEADER approach and the substantial aid from the European Union. Among them is the eagerness of all the territories to develop tourism at any price, without even reflecting on the adaptation of the tourist potential to the real offer [11,12], as has been demonstrated by different geostatistical models [13]. Naturally, being a peripheral border region with a secular deficit of infrastructures also contributes to a scarce industrialization. All of this creates a scenario where socioeconomic development is complex despite the European policies put in place [14].

It follows that generic rural tourism has shown itself incapable of making a decisive contribution to the socioeconomic development of rural environments. The model followed has focused on increasing the supply of lodgings and their capacity, but, until recently, it has not made a decisive commitment to the use of activities as an obligatory complement. The rural tourist is not satisfied with the stay, he is an active client who seeks the practice of very diverse activities [15]. These have a marked component based on the enjoyment of the natural environment, but also on the cultural one [16].

Although the objective of rural tourism was to increase the meager agricultural incomes, complementing them with the offer of lodging and activities in agricultural exploitations, it has not been developed in this way. In fact, in a large part of the country, and particularly in Extremadura, rural tourism has been interpreted as rural accommodation. This has meant that the genuine modality of agritourism has not been imposed as a specific tourist modality. This is somewhat contradictory considering that the National Reference Center for Agritourism is in this autonomous community [17] and has a large number of agricultural landscapes in which agritourism can be developed in specific varieties, such as olive oil tourism [18,19,20] and wine tourism [21,22], with their respective variants of agroecotourism as a result of having a wide range of certified quality products, in short, organic products.

Numerous studies have shown that agritourism can become a key tool for sustainable development [23], which has become even more necessary after the pandemic.

Therefore, the specialized literature has always tried to analyze agritourism as an alternative that combines agricultural use with tourism, in a broad sense [24]. Undoubtedly, it brings considerable benefits [25], but it also subjects the territory and its residents to impacts on the environment [26]. Nevertheless, the value chain generated by tourism is broad and clearly positive, both for the environment and for society and the rural economy itself [27]. There is an important epistemological debate on rural tourism, agritourism, and agroecotourism in agricultural areas [28]. They are complements that should not be ignored, especially in inland and border regions such as Extremadura [29].

There are many agrarian landscapes that can be offered for agritourism development [30], as recognized by the demand itself, from which we can deduce the enormous potential of agritourism [31]. Among these landscapes, the dehesa is key, especially in an environment such as Extremadura. This agrosystem has been defined on many occasions, although it is normally considered that it should have between 5% and 60% of its area covered by trees, in some cases reduced to species of the Quercus genus, which produce acorns as an essential resource in the scheme of utilization [32].

In this type of landscape, the Iberian pig is one of the main protagonists, also linked to Protected Designations of Origin, where livestock farms coexist with the natural and cultural bases of the territory [33]. In the pasture lands where the Iberian pig is raised, there is an important tourist potential [34], and are an important territorial patrimony [35] and intangible culture. The other great protagonist, also recognized as the king of the dehesa, is the fighting bull, studied from a wide variety of disciplines.

The impact of the cattle ranches on the Spanish dehesa is interesting, especially because some authors show that, in the country, they are in 358 municipalities, most of them (72.61%) with less than 5000 inhabitants [36]. This, according to them, can contribute to fixing the rural population by offering work and diversifying the productive structure, especially if its tourist exploitation is considered.

Considering that rural tourism in Extremadura faces numerous problems derived from a growth in supply that exceeds demand, where the average stay is reduced as well as the degree of occupancy, also subject to a high seasonality, it is necessary to look for alternatives. Among them are agritourism and, specifically, bullfighting tourism, which can help to eliminate some of the negative factors mentioned above.

However, it is not easy to develop and defend bullfighting tourism due to the social tension between defenders and detractors of bullfighting [37]. Society is divided between pro-bullfighting and anti-bullfighting, which makes it even more difficult for bullfighting ranchers to dare to launch tourism initiatives that allow them to make their activity and the life of the fighting bull known and, above all, allow them to maintain their farms economically.

For this reason, this article aims to know the opinion of the owners of bullfighting ranches about the role of bullfighting tourism, also allowing us to discover their intention to offer it and their business model. The aim is to know the current situation and to venture into the short- and medium-term future based on their opinions.

This study is based on the following working hypotheses:

H1. 

Bullfighting tourism is an interesting option for owners of bullfighting ranches.

H2. 

The cattle ranches that offer tourist visits to their farms have shown a recent interest in this activity because of the loss of profitability caused by the restrictions on bullfighting celebrations that exist in some areas of the country.

H3. 

The type of visitor is varied and satisfied with the activity, which will contribute to increasing the number of farms that offer this type of tourism.

H4. 

The implementation of bullfighting tourism is not adequately promoted and managed.

In a complementary manner, this study’s general objective (GO) is to learn about the situation of bullfighting tourism from the perspective of the bullfighting breeders. The following specific objectives are also proposed:

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SO1. To know the opinion of the owners about bullfighting tourism and bullfighting.

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SO2. To know the characteristics of the cattle ranches that offer bullfighting tourism.

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SO3. To know what the demand for these activities is like from the point of view of supply.

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SO4. To know the promotion and management of bullfighting tourism.

The article is structured, in addition to this brief introduction, in a theoretical framework where both bullfighting and bullfighting tourism are analyzed. This is followed by the methodology used, which focuses on a descriptive analysis of the results, and ends with a discussion of the results and the main conclusions drawn from the work.

2. Bullfighting and Bullfighting Tourism

Bullfighting is considered part of the historical and cultural heritage of Spain, according to Law 18/2013, of 12 November, for the regulation of bullfighting as cultural heritage [38]. In addition, it is also considered part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, according to Law 10/2015, of 26 May, for the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage [39].

There is a part of the population that shows interest in this activity or in the world of bullfighting in general and, in this area, bullfighting tourism arises. However, another part of society is clearly against it. There is a marked social and territorial division in the context of the Spanish state, where there are debates in all spheres about the ethics and culture of bullfighting.

In this regard, there is an abundance of studies on animal ethics. This debate is not new, as reflected in the literature. In fact, there are studies that even analyze the arguments that claim to defend it by appealing to culture and tradition [40]. Others discuss the moral responsibility of human beings in relation to animals, the rights of animals, and the obligations that people have in this matter [41]. This aspect is becoming more relevant today [42]. This fact has a clear transcendence in the current literature, which corroborates the social division, confirming that part of society does not like bullfights and, obviously, does not attend these events either. There are authors who analyze the polysemic perceptions of the bullfight, its exaltation by its protagonists, and its growing condemnation by the defenders of animal rights and welfare [43]. Despite this, they also conclude that there is a large proportion of people who remain indifferent and another part, which is less and less representative, is passionate about bullfighting festivities [44]. In this debate, the protection of bullfighting as an intangible cultural heritage is even considered [45], as well as its suppression. This debate, increasingly polarized and radicalized, is currently reaching its maximum expression. From the point of view of ethics, bullfighting festivities can be considered as violence towards animals, since they seek to entertain the spectators, even though the suffering of the animals. However, it can also be considered an artistic spectacle, with strong historical roots in Spain and many other countries. The diversity of opinions regarding bullfighting has also been analyzed from different ethics created around the bullfighting and anti-bullfighting movements, ethics that imply attitudes that transcend the limits of time and place [46]. The conceptions of the artists and aficionados on the moral responsibility for and before the other are given through a conjunction of ethical and aesthetic frameworks that are not shared by their detractors [47].

This social division has its continuity in politics and culture. In some cases, the number of bullfighting fans is used to defend bullfighting, either to defend it or to attack it. In others, emphasis is placed on the economic income and employment they generate, and they even appeal to the conservation of the agrosystem configured by the dehesa [48]. In line with the environmental role of the use of dehesas, there are authors who show that, due to the current land-use policy, it is more profitable for the private owners of these estates to allow the slow depletion of the trees than to maintain them [49].

If, from the perspective of demand, the literature shows social divisions, sustained even by different regulations in the Spanish context, the analysis of supply reflects an increase in the number of cattle ranches dedicated to the breeding of fighting bulls [50].

Considering the social division and the controversies that exist, it is important to clarify that, despite the obvious relationship between bullfighting and bullfighting tourism, they are not synonymous. This type of tourism, the axis on which the research is based, is understood as the activity in which the tourist’s interest is focused on discovering and learning more about the culture linked to the world of bullfighting. Therefore, bullfighting tourism aims to show what life is like for the fighting bull in the countryside (Figure 1), as well as to provide information and knowledge to visitors so that they can get to know and understand everything related to bullfighting culture beyond the bullfights [51]. In this sense, bullfighting tourism does not only include the act of bullfighting, but also includes visits to ranches where fighting bulls are bred, exploration of bullfighting culture through museums and events, and participation in popular festivities and other bull-related celebrations.

The concept of “bullfighting” proposed by Ollero and Gallurt tries to unify and promote a product that contains all the elements related to tourism and bullfighting. This concept seeks to promote the elements linked to the bullfighting festival, such as the bullrings, the surroundings of the running of the bulls, museums, people involved in the festival, animals, countryside, and livestock, etc., to promote its tourism potential [52]. It arises as an alternative to the traditional format of the bullfighting festival, which is in deep crisis due to the socio-political and economic events that hinder the survival of the festival and, consequently, of the cattle ranches of fighting bulls [52].

With the suppression of bullfighting shows in part of the country, with some of the main bullrings not holding events of this type, the situation has been progressively degrading for more than a decade. In fact, since 2011, no bullfight has been held in the Monumental de Barcelona, following the prohibition of the Catalan Parliament to hold this type of activity. This situation is further aggravated when it comes to also banning other types of bullfighting festivities, such as bou embolat, bou capllaçat, and bous a la mar. This type of prohibition also affects other areas of the country, such as the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.

Apart from the pro-bullfighting or anti-bullfighting debates, it is essential to highlight the cultural importance that bullfighting has had in Spain, since it has been practiced for centuries and represents an important tradition for this country [53]. Bullfighting has been present in a multitude of cultural manifestations throughout time, novels, essays, history, poetry, etc. In addition, realists, impressionists, and cubists have painted about it, and even coplas, tangos, pasodobles, etc., have been composed. And several films have been made [50,54]. In this context, it is important to mention different protagonists of the Spanish Golden Age, such as Velázquez, Zurbarán, or Murillo, others such as Goya with his work La Tauromaquia, Picasso or Dali, illustrious protagonists of literature such as Cervantes, Quevedo, etc. [55], or Federico García Lorca, who affirmed that “Bullfighting is the most cultured festival in the world” and wrote “Llanto por Ignacio Sánchez Mejías”, a well-known bullfighter [56].

While bullfighting has a long history in Spain, bullfighting tourism is recent and is practiced especially in Andalusia, Castile and Leon, and Extremadura, since these are the autonomous communities with the largest number of bull-breeding ranches of this type [57]. These communities, together with Madrid and Castilla La Mancha, are the ones with the most bullfighting festivals and the most bullfighting enthusiasts [58]. In this context, Madrid hosts the most important bullfighting fair in the world, San Isidro, declared a festival of general interest for the city of Madrid in 2016 [59].

Despite the success of this practice in certain areas of Spain, there are other communities where there are hardly any aficionados, where bullfights are not held, or even where an agreement has been reached to prohibit bullfighting [60]. In this sense, the Canary Islands is the only autonomous community in which bullfighting is prohibited by law, although in others, such as the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country, or Catalonia, bullfights have generally ceased to be held, and have even been declared anti-bullfighting places [61].

It is essential to emphasize that bullfighting tourism does not only consist of the act of bullfighting, but also encompasses everything related to the bullfighting sector [52]. From a survey carried out in a previous study, it was found that some of the activities offered by various bull ranches and which, therefore, belong to bullfighting tourism, are the realization of bullfights, the visit to a specific ranch to learn about the life of the animal in the countryside and all its peculiarities, participation in the typical gastronomy of a given area, accommodation on the ranch’s own farm, visits to museums to learn about the history of the ranches, etc.

In this sense, tourism related to the world of bullfighting can be considered as a tourist resource in several countries [62]. In addition, the survey carried out in the study shows that the role of the media is fundamental in making this type of tourism known, with the objective of reaching the maximum number of people possible, whether they are fans or not.

Bullfighting tourism is of great economic importance in Spain, as bullfighting festivities are the most important mass spectacle in this country after soccer and generate some EUR 1.5 billion annually and more than 200,000 jobs [63], some 57,000 direct jobs and the rest in the hotel and catering or tourism sectors [64]. It has a clear economic impact even in events of limited importance [65].

This type of tourism also emphasizes sustainability and respect for the environment, especially in dehesa areas, which are the main habitat of animals such as the Iberian pig or the fierce bull, occupying a privileged place in these ecosystems [66]. In this context, the fighting bull is considered the “guardian” or “king” of the Iberian dehesa, occupies more than 500,000 hectares of this ecosystem, and is its best protector, since it coexists in balance and harmony with the native flora and fauna. In addition, fighting bull ranches favor the rural population, as they contribute to the increase in its population thanks to the need for labor and the increase in salaries [67].

The existence of this animal and of fighting cattle ranches allows forest fires to diminish, since these cattle need permanent surveillance, and the farms have specific enclosures. It also limits human access, which can cause so much damage to this ecosystem [68]. Furthermore, the secretary of the Unión de Criadores de Toros de Lidia (UCTL) states that “the dehesas are the ecosystem par excellence” and that “the protection of the dehesas must go hand in hand with that of the bull” due to their great environmental value [67].

Given the importance of the fighting bull, Law 18/2013 recognizes the breeding of the fighting bull and the act of bullfighting as Cultural Heritage [38,69], material and immaterial, without being able to be replaced [36]. In this context, in Castilla y León, a community known for its bullfighting tradition, bullfighting was declared an Intangible Asset of Cultural Interest [70], demonstrating the cultural importance of this practice.

In addition to Castilla y León, Andalusia is another region where bullfighting tourism has gained importance [71]. It has become one of the autonomous communities in Spain most closely related to the world of bullfighting, either because of the number of bullrings it has or because of the presence of many important cattle ranches [72]. Andalusia also offers an alternative tourism model that emphasizes respect for nature and animals. Many farms offer experiences that allow visitors to learn about the daily life of fighting bulls in their natural habitat and to participate in the activities offered by the ranches themselves [73].

Together with them, Extremadura is a region with a rich bullfighting tradition [74]. In this community, there are about 120 bullfighting ranches [75] distributed over more than 50,000 hectares [50,75], with a higher presence in the province of Cáceres (especially in Coria, Moraleja, Navalmoral de la Mata, Trujillo, Casatejada, and El Gordo) than in Badajoz (concentrated especially in Alconchel, Jerez de los Caballeros, and Olivenza) [76]. In addition, the bullfighting sector moves about EUR 800 million per year in this region and generates more than 1000 jobs, so it is of great importance for the economy of Extremadura [77].

In this sense, Extremadura has become a privileged destination for those who wish to explore this facet of Spanish culture from a natural and cultural point of view. The dehesas of Extremadura, with their holm oaks and dehesa, provide the ideal environment for the breeding of the fighting bull, a species that contributes significantly to the economy and biodiversity of the region. Moreover, according to a recent study, Extremadura has the largest number of hectares dedicated to this animal in the region [36].

The offer of bullfighting tourism in Extremadura not only allows visitors to learn about the life of the bull in the pasture, but also to participate in various activities. Many of the ranches present in this region offer different activities, such as guided tours of the ranches to learn about the handling of these animals and the importance of their breeding for both culture and landscape conservation. In addition, some routes include gastronomic experiences that allow visitors to taste local products derived from bulls, paired with excellent wines from the region. A well-known experience and a great success among aficionados are the visit to Victorino Martín’s cattle ranch. In this case, tourists visit the museum located on the farm to learn about the history of the cattle ranch, observe the fighting bulls in the pasture, and enjoy the typical gastronomy and wines and oils from the winery’s own cellar [78].

This sector has been greatly affected by the pandemic situation caused by COVID-19. In 2020, scheduled bullfighting shows were canceled, which meant millions of dollars in losses for bullfighting farmers, since, in addition to not fighting, they had to keep all their animals without any income [79]. In addition, many fighting bulls had to be sent to the slaughterhouse, with the breeders obtaining only 10% of the production cost of these animals [80]. This situation led to the disappearance of many cattle ranches that could not cope with these losses in the millions [81].

To diversify and further promote the bullfighting sector, as well as to counteract these difficulties faced by the pandemic, the Provincial Councils and Governments of different autonomous communities have taken measures. The Andalusian Regional Government approved, in 2021, a strategic plan with a budget of EUR 4 million to grant aid to the bullfighting sector to compensate for the losses suffered and prevent its disappearance [82]. As for the Community of Madrid, more than seven million euros were allocated to subsidize bullfighting in 2021 to counteract the losses caused by the pandemic [83].

In the case of Extremadura, in 2021, the Diputación de Cáceres helped cattle breeders by providing EUR 500,000 for the province’s cattle ranches. In addition, the first steps were taken to obtain a seal of quality for fighting bull meat [84,85]. In this context, in the year 2024, the city council of Coria (Cáceres) has carried out a gastronomic contest of tapas of fighting bull meat on the celebration of the Feria Internacional del Toro de la Ciudad de Coria (FitCoria), with the aim of enhancing this product and its quality [86]. It is expected that these initiatives will not only benefit breeders and the bullfighting industry but will also attract visitors to the province of Cáceres, promoting tourism and local gastronomy.

These measures are a part of a broader plan that seeks to take advantage of the potential of bullfighting tourism to attract visitors and promote Extremadura’s unique culture, thus strengthening its position as a diverse and culturally rich tourist destination. In this sense, Extremadura is positioned as an essential destination for those interested in discovering bullfighting culture from a more intimate and respectful perspective with the animal and its environment.

Bullfighting tourism in this region offers a unique opportunity to understand the relevance of the fighting bull in Spanish culture while enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the Extremadura dehesa. This type of tourism is presented not only to enjoy the rural environment and learn more about a breed native to Spain, but also to understand the ecological and economic importance of the fighting bull. The importance of the dehesas for gastronomy is highlighted due to the food quality of the bull’s meat, while at the same time the breeding of the fighting bull is mentioned as a regulated and subsidized activity, although it is not excessively profitable for the breeders.

The theoretical framework on bullfighting tourism encompasses several fundamental aspects that contribute to understanding this activity from a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating elements of culture, economics, ethics, and social and environmental impact. This theoretical framework on bullfighting tourism reveals the complexity and multidimensionality of the subject, where culture, ethical economics, and sustainability play crucial roles in its understanding and practice. Studies and debates on bullfighting tourism continue to evolve, reflecting changes in social, cultural, and ethical perceptions towards this tradition. A previous study concluded that, in Spain, opinions about bullfighting tourism are very divided. While it is true that many people, bullfighting enthusiasts or not, are interested in discovering and learning about the life of the fighting bull in the countryside and all its peculiarities, there is a large part of society that is against bullfighting. Therefore, while for a part of the country it is strongly related to the art, culture, and tradition of Spain, there is a large part of the society that is against bullfighting [87]; for others, it is an ancestral act and cruel to the animal [88].

The existence of the fighting bull is very important because its disappearance would cause negative effects, since it contributes a lot to the economy of Spain, generating jobs, such as bullfighting entrepreneurs, farmers, veterinarians, bullfighters, journalists, and tourism professionals [74]. Furthermore, the disappearance of this animal would have negative effects on the ecosystem in which it lives, the dehesa, since the ranchers try to maintain and conserve it so that different species can live in it, such as the Iberian pig or the deer and, in addition, they favor the conservation of certain endangered species such as the Iberian lynx [50].

3. Materials and Methods

3.1. Study Area

Rural tourism is an activity that is constantly growing in Spain, as evidenced by the Rural Tourism Accommodation Occupancy Survey (EOTR) conducted by the National Statistics Institute (INE) [89].

The contextualization of bullfighting tourism, both from the perspective of supply and demand, is not feasible due to the scarcity of data and the level of territorial aggregation. Nevertheless, given that it is a modality linked to rural tourism, it is possible to offer some significant data on this wide variety. In this regard, it is important to note that this type of lodging has experienced notable growth, even surpassing the increase observed in the number of tourists. This disparity between supply and demand has been especially virulent during the economic and financial crisis that has shaken the world.

According to the data compiled by INE in the EOTR during 2001, the main figures for rural tourism show that the number of tourists totaled 12,910, generating a total of 38,366 overnight stays, with an occupancy rate per vacancy of 23.31%, despite having only 425 vacancies available. On the other hand, during the year 2023, there were 9347 vacancies, which accommodated 229,399 travelers, totaling 538,785 overnight stays. This notable increase in lodging capacity and in the number of travelers demonstrates the continued interest and demand for rural tourism in the region.

Although the above data are interesting, they conceal some problems that plague the sector. Among them are the seasonality, very pronounced in rural accommodations, the average stay, estimated at only 2.3 days on average, and the low degree of occupancy of the vacancies, less than 16% for the whole of the autonomous community. These situations, however, differ from one area to another, being precisely the areas furthest away from the mountainous areas in the north of the province of Cáceres, the ones with the greatest problems.

Faced with these challenges, it is vital to consider alternatives that allow these small establishments to join forces and jointly promote the attractions of the territory, thus enhancing their attractiveness and improving their economic viability. The study area of this research focuses on the autonomous community of Extremadura (Spain), which covers an area of 41,634 km² [90], of which at least 10,148 km² constitute dehesas where the breeding and maintenance of the fighting bull is practiced (Figure 2). In this sense, Extremadura is the region with the largest surface area of pastureland and holm oaks, making it an ideal habitat for the fighting bull. Furthermore, in Extremadura, there is a deep-rooted bullfighting tradition and culture, and many bullfighting enthusiasts. For these reasons, among others, in this region you can find more than 120 bullfighting ranches [91].

3.2. Methodological Development

The research carried out consists of the following four well-defined phases (Figure 3).

• Stage 1 → Review of the literature to gain an in-depth knowledge of the sector under study and, in this way, to develop the theoretical framework considering any relevant aspect that could be used for the design of the survey. In this review we have chosen to use the Web of Science (WoS), Scimago Journal & Country Rank (SJR), and Scopus using keywords such as “Toro Bravo”, “Bullfighting Tourism”, “Cattle Ranches”, “Bullfighting”, and “Dehesa”.
• Stage 2 → Survey design. In this stage, based on different bibliographic references, a series of questions were formulated for bull breeders with the aim of finding out what opinion they have about this type of tourism and what activities they offer to tourists. The survey was carried out in Google Forms and was disseminated through social networks (WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram) and via telephone among the bull ranchers, obtaining a total of 133 responses. In all cases, the cattle ranch has been identified.
• Stage 3 → The analysis was carried out using a simple but effective technique to meet the objectives set, a frequency distribution organized in different mutually exclusive groups. This indicates that, if the data are part of a group, they cannot be part of another group [92].
• Stage 4 → In this stage, we proceed to the analysis of the results and the elaboration of the discussion.

3.3. Methodology

The methodology used starts with the design of the survey, its distribution, and, finally, its analysis. This process was carried out considering a bibliographic review, with the aim of determining what information may be most relevant. Once the questions were formulated, they were transcribed into the “Google Form” platform to facilitate their completion.

The survey was completed by contacting the owners who have a fighting bull ranch in Spain by telephone, responding directly to it or filling it in afterwards through a link to a Google Form. It is composed of 20 questions (Appendix A), to which are added others, such as the name of the ranch and its location, not considered to preserve confidentiality. They were carried out with the aim of obtaining information on the current situation of bullfighting tourism, differentiating firstly between the ranches that carry out this type of tourism, those that plan to offer it in the future, or those that are not going to offer it, with the first two being the ones used for our study. In this sense, from a preliminary analysis, it was detected that most of the cattle ranches interviewed offer some activity related to tourism on their farms.

The questions (Qs) posed in the survey are varied and are oriented towards 4 major blocks which seek to achieve the specific objectives proposed in the research.

The first block, linked to the first specific objective of the study (SO1), seeks to know the opinion of the owners of bullfighting ranches on bullfighting tourism. This is an aspect of considerable interest since, as we have seen in the study on the theoretical framework, bullfighting should not be confused with bullfighting tourism. They are complementary, although in the first case it refers only to the different types of festivities that have the fighting bull as the protagonist. In the second case, the concept is much broader and is not always linked to bullfighting, but rather to showing the life of the bull in its natural environment, visits to museums, the peculiar gastronomy of the fighting bull, etc. This second aspect, bullfighting tourism, is the central axis on which the study is based.

The second block aims to learn about bullfighting tourism, thus filling an important gap in the literature, since there are hardly any studies referring to bullfighting tourism, and to know what the ranches that offer it are like. This is intended to fulfill the second specific objective (SO2). To this end, 6 questions were formulated that refer to the following approaches: the main reason for opening the doors to tourism (Q1), the year in which it was performed (Q3), the investment necessary to receive tourists (Q2), the landscape that predominates in the cattle ranch (Q6), as well as the type of experiences offered (Q4), or the activity that is most successful among visitors (Q5).

The third block seeks to understand the demand for bullfighting tourism from the point of view of the owner. It is linked to the third specific objective (SO3). It is made up of several questions that inquire about issues related to the time and days of maximum influx (Q7 and Q8), origin (Q9), interest in learning about the farm and the life of the fighting bull in its natural environment (Q12), or the type of tourist that visits the farm (Q13). They were also asked about the way they make reservations (Q15), the number of tourists who visit the ranch (Q17), and the degree of satisfaction (Q19).

The fourth and last block aims to find out about aspects linked to the promotion and management of bullfighting tourism activity, thus responding to the fourth specific objective (SO4). To achieve this, 4 questions were posed referring to promotion (Q14), associationism (Q11), the type of management carried out (Q10), the average cost of the visit (Q18), and loyalty (Q20).

The survey was carried out considering the approximately 800 breeding farms of fighting bulls existing in the country. Despite contacting them through different channels and on repeated occasions, only 133 (16.6%) responded to the survey, following a simple random pattern. Despite this small number, it is sufficient to obtain a first approach to bullfighting tourism from the point of view of supply. In fact, for a 95% confidence level, the sampling error is estimated at 7.7%. The questionnaire was carried out between 25 November 2023 and 16 February 2024.

4. Results

A great number of bullfighting ranches offer tourist activities on their farms with the aim that any interested person, amateur or not, can discover and learn about the life of the fighting bull in the countryside and its peculiarities. Despite this, there are some that do not offer tourist activities and do not plan to open the doors of their cattle ranches to visitors, and others that do not offer them but plan to do so in the future. For this reason, the analysis and, therefore, the results have been discriminated depending on the cattle ranches that do or do not offer tourist activities. Of the 133 farms that responded to the questionnaire, 29 do not offer tourist activities on their farms; 28 do not offer them, but plan to do so in the future; the majority, 76 farms, do offer activities for tourists or visitors.

It is essential to bear in mind that the results of the study are based on farms whose answers were affirmative, that is, farms that do offer tourism activities on their farms.

It is particularly interesting to know the vision of farmers regarding this type of tourism and whether they practice it on their farms to determine its prospects.

The results of the survey can be divided into four distinct parts. Firstly, it is essential to know the farmer’s vision of this type of tourism. The second group includes everything related to livestock farming that offers tourism activities (location, landscape, experiences offered, etc.). Subsequently, the third group includes everything related to the demand from the point of view of the farmer or person responsible for the tourist visits (origin of the visitors, quantity, interest, satisfaction, etc.). As for the fourth group, the aim is to find out everything related to the promotion and management of this type of tourism by farmers.

4.1. The Farmer and His Vision

It is essential to know the opinion of the breeders regarding the relationship between tourism and the world of the bull. For this reason, one of the questions in the survey was carried out with the intention of identifying what relationship the breeders believe the world of the bull has with the tourism sector and what this animal contributes to this sector.

In this case, and as shown in

Table 1. The rancher and his vision of the relationship between bullfighting and tourism.

Score	Percentage	Score	Percentage
1	1.3%	6	2.6%
2	2.6%	7	5.3%
3	0.0%	8	15.8%
4	3.9%	9	9.2%
5	2.6%	10	56.6%

, 56.6% of the breeders, the majority, affirm (with a score of 10 out of 10) that the world of bullfighting contributes a lot to the tourism sector; this could be due to the fact that bullfighting tourism attracts many tourists from different parts of the world and that, in addition, it contributes a lot to the economy of Spain. In addition, 30.3% of the breeders agree with this statement and have given it scores between nine, eight, and seven. On the other hand, 13% of the breeders who responded to the survey do not agree very much with this statement (giving scores of less than six) and, therefore, consider that the world of bullfighting does not contribute much to the tourism sector.

There are two differentiated visions among the bullfighting cattle ranchers. On the one hand, there are those who see cattle raising as a business oriented exclusively to bullfighting, being the most purist, given the low score they give to tourism as a complement to cattle raising. On the other side are those who do not renounce to link both aspects, aware of how important it is to make known the life of the fighting bull in its natural environment and, of course, of the important benefits that can be generated by the offer of visits to a farm.

4.2. Livestock

Knowing the peculiarities of the cattle ranches that have responded to the survey is essential to determine what characteristics these farms or the ranchers who manage them have in common. In other words, information can be obtained on the location of the ranch, the landscape it has, how long it has been offering tourist activities, what led the rancher to open the doors of his ranch to tourism, the investment he made, the experiences he offers, and, finally, which of the experiences offered are most successful.

4.2.1. Location

Most of the cattle ranches that responded to the survey are in Salamanca (15.8%), Badajoz (13.2%), Seville (13.2%), and Cadiz (9.2%) (

Table 2. Location.

Province	Percentage	Province	Percentage
Albacete (Castilla-La Mancha)	1.3%	León (Castilla y León)	1.3%
Badajoz (Extremadura)	13.2%	Madrid (Madrid)	3.9%
Cáceres (Extremadura)	6.6%	Murcia (Region of Murcia)	1.3%
Cadiz (Andalusia)	9.2%	Navarra (Comunidad Foral de Navarra)	5.3%
Castellón (Valencian Community)	1.3%	Palencia (Castilla y León)	1.3%
Ciudad Real (Castilla-La Mancha)	2.6%	Salamanca (Castilla y León)	15.8%
Cordoba (Andalusia)	2.6%	Seville (Andalusia)	13.2%
Granada (Andalusia)	1.3%	Tarragona (Catalonia)	2.6%
Guadalajara (Castilla–La Mancha)	1.3%	Valencia (Valencian Community)	2.6%
Huelva (Andalusia)	5.3%	Valladolid (Castilla y León)	1.3%
Jaén (Andalusia)	2.6%	Zaragoza (Aragón)	3.9%

). Some provinces such as Cáceres (6.6%), Huelva (5.3%), and Navarra (5.3%) also have different cattle ranches in their areas. These results confirm that the autonomous communities with the greatest presence of cattle ranches and, therefore, where bullfighting tourism is most practiced, are Castilla y León, Andalusia, and Extremadura, in addition to having an important bullfighting tradition, as indicated in the introductory section.

Several of the cattle ranches that appear in the survey are in provinces such as Madrid (3.9%) or Zaragoza (3.9%), cities that also stand out for their bullfighting tradition. However, according to the survey, other provinces such as Ciudad Real, Córdoba, Jaén, Tarragona, or Valencia (all with 2.6%) do not have many cattle ranches in their lands. In addition, Albacete, Castellón, Granada, Guadalajara, León, Murcia, Palencia, or Valladolid (all with 1.3%) do not have many cattle ranches either.

4.2.2. The Dehesa, the Favorite Landscape

The predominant landscape on the farms is the dehesa, with 68.4% (

Table 3. Priority landscape.

Reply	Percentage
Areas cultivated with fruit trees	2.6%
Dehesas	68.4%
Spaces dedicated to grain crops	1.3%
Protected natural areas	11.8%
Olivares	1.3%
Other landscapes	1.3%
Mountain areas	13.2%

). This reaffirms what was commented on in the introductory section concerning the dehesa, which indicates that it is the main habitat of the fighting bull. On the other hand, some ranchers maintain that the predominant landscapes in their cattle ranches are mountain areas (13.2%) and protected natural areas (11.8%). However, landscapes such as areas cultivated with fruit trees (2.6%), areas dedicated to grain crops (1.3%), olive groves (1.3%), and other types of landscape (1.3%) do not tend to be very frequent landscapes in bullfighting ranches.

4.2.3. Incorporation of Livestock Farming into Tourism

According to the survey conducted, and as shown in

Table 4. Incorporation of livestock farming into tourism.

Reply	Percentage
Prior to the year 2000	10.5%
After 2020	13.2%
Between 2000 and 2005	11.8%
Between 2006 and 2010	13.2%
Between 2011 and 2015	18.4%
Between 2016 and 2020	32.9%

, most cattle ranchers who carry out tourism activities on their cattle ranch (32.9%) decided to open the doors of their cattle ranch to tourists and visitors between 2016 and 2020. A high percentage (18.4%) maintain that they started conducting tourism activities on their cattle ranch between 2012 and 2015. Some 13.2% of the farmers started offering tourism services on their farms between 2006 and 2010. In addition, another 13.2% opened the doors of their farms to tourism after 2020, perhaps with the intention of obtaining income to recover part of the losses caused by the pandemic. On the other hand, 11.8% began to offer this type of activity between 2000 and 2005. Finally, 10.5% of the ranchers opened the doors of their farms to tourism before the year 2000, being the pioneers in offering bullfighting tourism.

4.2.4. Motivations

As

Table 5. Reasons for opening livestock farming to tourism.

Reply	Percentage
Both reasons made me make the decision.	75.0%
It is an alternative to increase income in livestock farming.	3.9%
That fans and people interested in the world of bullfighting can learn about the life of the animal and enjoy the experience.	21.1%

shows, although some of the farmers who completed the questionnaire affirm that the main reason that led them to open the doors of their cattle ranch to tourism was to have an alternative to increase their income (3.9%), there are others who, on the contrary, maintain that the main reason was that, with this initiative, the fans and people interested in the world of the bull could get to know what the life of this animal is like and enjoy the experience (21.1%). However, the great majority of the farmers who responded to the questionnaire stated that it was both reasons that led them to make the decision to offer tourist activities on their farms. This is because, in addition to the fact that carrying out these activities means extra income for the farmers, they also seek to raise awareness of their trade, the sector, and everything that surrounds it, so that everyone can have access to and observe this animal up close, something that was really complicated before.

4.2.5. Investment Made

The results show that most of the farmers who responded to the survey (

Table 6. Investment made.

Reply	Percentage
Adequacy of facilities in country house or farmhouse to receive tourists.	48.7%
Purchase of vehicles to drive on the farm.	27.6%
To have a specialized company.	1.3%
Hiring of permanent or temporary personnel.	10.5%
I have made an investment in all the proposed improvements.	3.9%
I have not made any new investments.	7.9%

) agree that they have had to adapt the facilities of the farmhouses or cortijos to receive tourists (48.68%). This indicates that many of them have invested in improving the facilities of the farm to be able to carry out tourism-related activities. On the other hand, 27.63% maintain that the investment they have made to be able to carry out tourist activities on their farms is related to the purchase of vehicles to drive around the farm and, in this way, show tourists the facilities and the fighting bulls belonging to the cattle ranch. In addition, 10.53% of the farmers stated that, in their case, it has been necessary to hire permanent or temporary personnel. This may be since they need employees to receive tourists and to show them the facilities and explain the handling and peculiarities of these animals, as well as the history of the ranching. Some of the farmers who responded to the questionnaire did not make any new investment (7.89%), since the farm was previously prepared and had adequate facilities, vehicles, and personnel to carry out tourist activities. However, 3.95% stated that they had to make investments in different aspects, such as facilities, personnel, and vehicles, to be able to offer tourism services and, in turn, meet the needs of demand. Finally, one of the ranchers stated that the investment he had made was to hire an external company expert in bullfighting tourism, in his case, “Aprende de Toros” (Learn about Bullfighting).

4.2.6. Experiences Offered

The tourist experiences that a bull ranch can offer can be very varied (

Table 7. Experiences offered.

Reply	Percentage
Visit to the farm to observe the wild bull on horseback.	15.8%
Visit to the farm to observe the fighting bulls in an all-terrain vehicle.	73.7%
Visit to the farm to observe the bull in tow.	81.6%
Museum.	21.1%
Capeas.	40.8%
Lunch/dinner at the farm.	64.5%
Lodging at the farm.	3.9%
Lodging arranged with establishments in the surrounding area.	14.5%

). In this case, and according to the responses of the ranchers obtained in the survey, the activity most frequently offered on their farms consists of observing the fighting bull in a trailer (62 ranches out of 76), followed by a visit to the farm to observe the fighting bull in an all-terrain vehicle (56 ranches out of 76), the celebration of lunches or dinners on the farm (49 ranches out of 76), or the holding of capeas (31 ranches out of 76). Some activities also offered by some ranches, but to a lesser extent, are a visit to their own museum to learn about the history of the ranch and its peculiarities (16 ranches out of 76), visiting the ranch to observe the fighting bull on horseback (12 ranches out of 76), offering lodging arranged with establishments in the surrounding area (11 ranches out of 76), or lodging on the ranch itself (3 ranches out of 76).

In this question, it should be noted that the percentages are so high because the question has a multi-answer option. For this reason, the cumulative percentage is higher than 100.

4.2.7. Most Demanded Activities

According to the cattle ranchers who carried out the survey, and as can be seen in

Table 8. Most demanded activities.

Reply	Percentage
Capeas.	14.5%
Lunch/dinner at the farm.	10.5%
Museum.	1.3%
Visit to the farm to observe the fighting bull on horseback.	3.9%
Visit to the farm to observe the wild bull in tow.	43.4%
Visit to the farm to observe the fighting bull in an off-road vehicle.	26.3%

, the activity most demanded by tourists on their ranches is the visit to the ranch to observe the fighting bull in a trailer (43.4%), followed by the visit to the ranch to observe the fighting bull in an off-road vehicle (26.3%). These data on the most successful activities coincide with the data of the previous section on the activities that most cattle ranches carry out. In this sense, visits to the ranch to observe this animal in a trailer or off-road vehicle are the most popular activities offered by the cattle ranches and, in addition, the most successful among tourists or visitors. Other activities with some success on the cattle ranches are the capeas (14.5%) and lunches or dinners on the farm (10.5%), also coinciding with the data in the previous section. There are activities such as the visit to the ranch to observe the fighting bull on horseback or the visit to the museum of the cattle ranch that are barely successful among the tourists, with 3.9% and 1.3%, respectively, according to the cattle ranchers who carried out the survey. In this case, the option of activities related to lodging on the farm itself or in establishments in the surrounding area was not selected by any cattle rancher; this coincides with the data in the previous section, since these two activities are the ones least offered by the cattle ranches.

4.3. Demand

The opinion of the ranchers on the demand is fundamental, since they must adapt their services to the needs of tourists and visitors. In this sense, it is important to know the origin of the visitors, the number of visitors that visit the livestock farm per year, what type of tourist practices this type of tourism, the seasonality, what period is of maximum affluence, the interest that the farmer perceives, how they make the reservation, the satisfaction of the visitors and tourists, and the loyalty.

4.3.1. Origin of Visitors

As shown in

Table 9. Origin of visitors.

Reply	Percentage
Spain	89.5%
Outside Spain	10.5%

, most of the farms that responded to the survey stated that they usually receive more visitors from Spain (89.5%). However, there are some ranches that maintain that they usually receive more visitors from abroad (10.5%). This could be because, in some countries, there is also a bullfighting tradition, and they are attracted by this type of tourism, so they may be interested in discovering historical ranches located in Spain. In addition, this could be an element to consider for the future of bullfighting.

4.3.2. Number of Visitors

Table 10. Number of visitors.

Reply	Percentage
Less than 1000	73.7%
Between 1000 and 5000	23.7%
Between 5001 and 10,000	1.3%
Between 10,001 and 20,000	1.3%

shows that many of the cattle ranchers who responded to the survey state that they receive less than 1000 tourists per year, at 73.1%. This could be because they only offer this type of activity on a limited basis or that there are many people who are not aware of this possibility. On the other hand, 23.7% of ranchers say that they receive between 1000 and 5000 visitors per year. Finally, only one of the farmers said that they receive between 5000 and 10,000 visitors per year, and another that they receive between 10,000 and 20,000. This is since they are legendary cattle ranches and are very prepared for tourism. In addition, they have a very good promotion and outreach strategy, so their services are well known among the demand.

4.3.3. Type of Tourist

According to most of the farmers who responded to the survey, and as shown in

Table 11. Type of tourist.

Reply	Percentage
Amateurs (bullfighting clubs)	52.6%
Friends	6.6%
Events	1.3%
Excursions	6.6%
Families	14.5%
Organized groups	18.4%

, the type of tourist who most frequently carries out tourist activities at their ranch are bullfighting enthusiasts or those who belong to a bullfighting peña, with 52.6%. In addition, 18.4% of the cattle ranchers said that most of the visitors they receive visit in organized groups, while 14.5% visit with their families. Some 6.6% of the farmers said that most of the people who visit their farms travel in groups of friends or on excursions. Finally, only 1.3% added that most of the visits they receive are due to events that the tourist intends to hold on the farm (weddings, baptisms, birthdays, etc.).

4.3.4. Temporality

As

Table 12. Temporality.

Reply	Percentage	Reply	Percentage
Winter	2.6%	Spring	75.0%
Autumn	6.6%	Summer	15.8%

shows, many of the farmers who responded to the survey stated that the time of year when they receive the greatest number of visits to their farms is during the spring, with 75%. This could be since, at this time of year, the weather is usually pleasant and the conditions in the countryside are optimal. This type of tourism is not so successful in the rest of the seasons, summer (15.8%), autumn (6.6%), and winter (2.6%). This could be because, in summer, the temperatures are very high; in autumn, there is usually abundant rainfall; in winter, the temperatures are usually very low.

4.3.5. Maximum Affluence

As can be seen in

Table 13. Maximum affluence.

Reply	Percentage
Any day	18.4%
Common weekend	50.0%
Long weekend or holiday	15.8%
Vacations (Easter, Christmas, or summer)	15.8%

, most of the farmers who offer tourist visits to their farms maintain that most tourists visit their farms on weekends (50%). However, other farmers state that they receive the highest number of visits on any day of the week (18.4%), long weekends or holidays (15.8%), or vacations (15.8%). This could depend on different factors, such as the availability of the tourist or the distance between the tourist’s place of residence and the cattle ranch he/she intends to visit.

4.3.6. Perceived Interest

As can be seen in

Table 14. Perceived interest.

Reply	Percentage
5	1.3%
6	1.3%
7	2.6%
8	5.3%
9	11.8%
10	77.6%

, most of the breeders consider that the opportunity for visitors to get to know the farm and be able to observe and discover what the life of the fighting bull is like is very interesting, since they gave it a score of 10 (77.6%), 9 (11.8%), and 8 (5.3%). It should also be noted that all the breeders considered this opportunity interesting for tourists, since all the scores were above five. This could be since the breeders, in general, want to make everything related to the fighting bull known to anyone who is interested, whether they are enthusiasts or not.

4.3.7. Reservation

Most farmers who responded to the survey stated, as shown in

Table 15. The reservation.

Reply	Percentage
Word of mouth from previous visitors	1.3%
E-mail	3.3%
Intermediary companies	7.9%
Website	7.9%
Social networks	18.4%
Phone	61.2%

, that most of the tourists who visit their farms make reservations by telephone (61.2%), which may be because it is the most immediate and convenient method in many cases. However, 18.4% of livestock farmers maintain that most of the reservations they manage are received through social networks (18.4%); this type of reservation could be made by the youngest members of society. In addition, intermediary companies (7.9%) and the cattle ranchers’ own web pages (7.9%) also tend to be a resource used to book a tourist visit according to the cattle ranchers. Finally, very few farmers say that they receive most of their reservations by e-mail (3.3%), and one of them adds that most of the visits they receive are booked by word of mouth with people who have visited the farm before.

4.3.8. Satisfaction

As shown in

Table 16. Satisfaction.

Reply	Percentage
6	1.3%
7	2.6%
8	11.8%
9	26.3%
10	57.9%

, all the farmers who completed the questionnaire said that the tourists who visited their farms were very satisfied with their visit. For this reason, they all gave this level of visitor satisfaction a rating of more than six points. This could be because, despite being anti-bullfighting or pro-bullfighting, the experience of spending a day in the countryside observing these animals in the pasture has been interesting and satisfactory for them.

4.3.9. Loyalty

Table 17. Loyalty.

Reply	Percentage
No, in general, we always receive new people, we do not usually have repeat visits.	19.7%
Yes, in general, people who visit the livestock farm repeat the experience and recommend it to their friends and family.	80.3%

shows that many farmers who receive visitors to their farms admit that, in general, people who visit the farm repeat the experience and recommend it to their friends and family (80.3%). This could be related to the satisfaction with which visitors end their visit to a livestock farm, according to the farmers interviewed. However, 19.7% of the farmers say that they always receive new visitors and that they do not usually receive repeat visits.

4.4. Promotion and Management

The promotion of this type of tourism is scarce and, for this reason, many people have not practiced it because they are unaware of its existence. Although promotion in the media and social networks could be much better, information about this sector and this type of tourism is hardly disseminated. In this sense, it would be interesting to know what institutional or private promotion this type of tourism has, if it is considered interesting the association between several nearby cattle ranches, how the customer is reached, and what is the cost of the experience.

4.4.1. Institutional Promotion

As can be seen in

Table 18. Institutional promotion.

Reply	Percentage
I think that the diffusion could be better, since there are people who do not know about the existence of these visits and the opportunity offered by the farms to see the animal in its environment.	64.5%
The promotion is good and reaches many people.	13.1%
No institutional promotion.	22.4%

, the great majority of ranchers agree that the diffusion that exists about this type of tourism could be better, since there are people who do not know about the existence of these visits and the opportunity that they offer from their ranches to see the fighting bull in its natural habitat (64.5%). On the other hand, 22.4% of the ranchers believe that there is no institutional promotion of this type of tourism, which could be since they consider that this experience is still unknown to many tourists. Finally, 13.1% of ranchers believe that, today, the promotion of this activity is good and reaches many people.

4.4.2. Individual Promotion

According to

Table 19. Private promotion.

Reply	Percentage
If you are interested in visiting the farm, please contact us and we will manage everything from here.	60.5%
We receive visitors in both ways.	32.9%
We have contracted a company to manage visits and attract tourists.	6.6%

, a considerable part of the ranchers who carry out visits to their ranches maintain that, in general, those interested in practicing bullfighting tourism in their ranch contact them directly and from there they carry out all the management for the reservation and the realization of the activity (60.5%). However, 6.6% stated that they have contracted a company to manage the visits to the ranch and, in addition, to attract more tourists. Finally, 32.9% agreed that they receive visitors in both ways, either by their own means or through intermediary companies.

4.4.3. Associations

Table 20. Possibility of association.

Reply	Percentage
No	17.1%
Yes	46.1%
Perhaps	36.8%

indicates that most ranchers maintain that a possible option for them would be to partner with one or more ranches in the area so that tourists would have the opportunity to take a “route” through several ranches, with 46.1%. This could be because they see it as a business opportunity to attract a greater number of visitors and would be willing to try this alternative. However, 17.1% of the farmers do not consider this option, since they might consider that it is preferable for tourists to focus only on their livestock when they visit. Finally, 36.8% have doubts about this alternative and are not sure if they would be willing to carry it out or not, as it would depend on different factors.

4.4.4. Disclosure

According to the results obtained in

Table 21. Method of disclosure.

Reply	Percentage
Internet	21.1%
Recommendations from friends, family, acquaintances, etc.	35.5%
Social networks	36.8%
Others	6.6%

, most cattle ranchers affirm that, in general, their clients know about this type of experience through social networks (36.8%). This could be because, nowadays, many cattle ranches have social networks that inform about this type of tourist activities and show what life is like for the fighting bull in the countryside. However, a high percentage (35.5%) of ranchers state that their clients know about this type of tourism through recommendations from friends, relatives, or acquaintances. In addition, 21.1% added that their clients have found out about this information through the Internet, which could refer to digital newspapers. Within the 6.6% belonging to “Others”, some of the breeders state that their clients also know about this type of tourism through these three media, through the media, and, in addition, through the presence in bullfighting season posters.

4.4.5. The Cost of Experience

As

Table 22. Cost of experience.

Reply	Percentage
From EUR 0 to 20	17.1%
From EUR 101 to 150	1.3%
From EUR 21 to 40	35.5%
From EUR 41 to 60	30.3%
From EUR 61 to 80	7.9%
From EUR 81 to 100	3.9%
More than EUR 150	3.9%

shows, the cost of the experience varies depending on the activities to be carried out and how well known the farm to be visited is. Some 35.5% of the farmers say that the cost of visiting their farms is between EUR 20 and 40, while 30.3% say that the cost is between EUR 40 and 60. These are the two most popular ranges among the farmers interviewed. On the other hand, 17.1% confirm that the cost of the visit to their livestock farm is between EUR 0 and 20; and 7.9% affirm that their customers visit their livestock farm for a price between EUR 60 and 80. In addition, there are 3.9% of livestock farms that have a price of between EUR 81 and 100, and another 3.9% that have a price of more than EUR 150. Finally, 1.3% of the farmers interviewed said that the cost of a visit to their herd was between EUR 100 and 150.

5. Discussion

The results obtained offer a global vision of the subject under study, consisting of the analysis of the supply of bullfighting tourism in Spain. In this sense, the results allow us to generate knowledge on bullfighting tourism in five key aspects, coinciding with the objectives set out, while at the same time allowing us to contrast the initial hypotheses.

It should be taken into account that this type of tourism causes important controversies due to the complexity of the subject matter, the fighting bull, which has always been assimilated to bullfighting festivities [45], with the reticence that this currently generates. For this reason, it is necessary to know the opinion of the bullfighting breeders with respect to bullfighting tourism, in line with the general objective of the study (OG). In this sense, the theoretical framework shows that, as some of the literature advocating ethics and animal welfare states, there is an underlying idea of mistreatment and of useless suffering on the part of the bull [42]. However, there is other, much more permissive literature, which ignores the treatment received by the animal in order to rely on the cultural heritage, on the consideration of bullfighting as an art, and as an expression of Spanish culture [67]. It is evident that there is an important polarization in the opinions of one or the other, in line with the most frequent pro-bullfighting or anti-bullfighting postulates. This divergence of opinions will hardly bring positions closer [37], although one or the other may be right [44].

Nevertheless, the study is framed within the framework of bullfighting tourism, a tourist modality that is gradually gaining followers [93] both on the demand and supply side [43,50]. Year after year, the number of visitors to bullfighting ranches is increasing, allowing it to take off as a tourist product. Despite this, there is a notable lack of knowledge on the subject, as there are few studies on bullfighting tourism, either as a tourist modality or as a particular study of the main components of tourism (supply and demand). There are few cases, very punctual, in which these aspects are studied from a scientific point of view, although the economic component is the most important [11,58].

For this reason, special attention has been paid to categorizing bullfighting tourism, relating it to bullfighting, but also considering the possibility that it can be seen as an opportunity to break with the myth of the “national festival” of bullfighting [52]. It is intended to show that bullfighting tourism offers much more, and it can even dispense with bullfighting shows, to show the life of the bull in its natural environment, closely linked to the agrosystem of the dehesa [94]. Bullfighting tourism is an important added value [86], highlighting the role of the bull as one of the actors that contributes to the maintenance of the environment and the species.

This general objective has been achieved, since the study reveals, albeit in an approximate way, the offer of this type of activities, centered on the cattle ranches from the point of view of the offer, of the rancher. The latter has seen how bullfighting celebrations have declined and his livestock has lost profitability, which has led him to look for alternatives, which have become more pressing after the very serious crisis in which the sector was plunged due to the pandemic.

In a complementary way, this study has allowed us to know the opinion of the owners with respect to bullfighting tourism [43], thus fulfilling the specific objective (SO1). Most of them recognize this relationship and see it as a clear business opportunity. However, among the owners, there are also discrepancies, and some do not see a strong relationship, something that then transcends to the bullfighting tourism offer itself. It is clear that the implementation of bullfighting tourism initiatives plays a positive role in the conservation of cultural and natural heritage [51,95,96]. This role can be even more important than the economic benefit that can be obtained, since the ranchers themselves see the relationship as positive. In fact, only a minority percentage do not consider it relevant, so the most likely trend is that bullfighting tourism products will continue to be developed in many ranches.

In spite of the social polarization that has developed in Spain in recent years, the high number of visits to the ranches demonstrates the acceptance of this type of activity. This reinforces the idea that bullfighting tourism is an interesting option for ranchers, which corroborates hypothesis (H1).

On the other hand, the main characteristics that define the cattle ranches that offer visits are unknown in the literature. This study has allowed us to obtain findings that go beyond the few existing studies on bullfighting tourism and, specifically, on the cattle ranches that carry it out. Despite the fact that there are territorial references on bullfighting cattle ranches [50,73], as demonstrated by the application made by Google, which positions and provides a small file on all those present in Spain, Portugal, and France [97]. There are few studies referring to those that offer tourist visits. Therefore, one of the main findings of the work consists of discovering these characteristics, which allows us to meet the objective (OE2).

In line with the above, it should be noted that most of the fighting bull ranches located in Spain are in Andalusia, Castile and Leon, Extremadura, and Madrid [97,98]. In some areas, such as the province of Cáceres, the number of fighting bull ranches has increased considerably and is expected to continue increasing. This province is a place with optimal conditions for the breeding of this animal and, in addition, road communications are good, as the cattle breeder Victorino Martín assures. In this sense, the first province with more fighting bulls is Salamanca (23,826 animals). It is followed by Seville with 18,424, and in third position is Cáceres, with 15,659 bulls. This last province was in sixth place in the 1980s and, after an increase in the number of cattle ranches, has risen to third place [99].

The main reasons why most of the cattle ranches have decided to offer tourist activities are economic, in addition to making it possible for enthusiasts or anyone interested to observe these animals in their natural habitat [100]. This opportunity allows tourists to see firsthand how fighting bulls live and the care they enjoy [101].

The dehesa is, for the most part, the predominant agricultural landscape in which the cattle ranches are located. Extremadura’s dehesas occupy more than 46,000 hectares, with more than 100 cattle ranches installed in its territory [95]. The fighting bull is considered the guardian of the dehesa, since its breeding occupies more than 500,000 hectares between Spain and Portugal. The breeding of this animal is an example of sustainability, as it helps to maintain the dehesa and contributes to the survival of endangered species [96]. In addition, it favors the biodiversity of native flora and fauna [102]. In this sense, without the existence of the fighting bull, the dehesa would not be so well preserved and there would be fewer hectares of this landscape [94].

Tourism has evolved a lot over the years from the point of view of supply and demand. In this context, it is necessary to insert the fact that many cattle ranches have opened their doors to tourists, amateurs, or people interested in everything that surrounds this sector. Precisely, the first cattle ranch that opened its doors to tourism was Victorino Martín’s, located in the province of Cáceres. Its cattle have a great projection, both nationally and internationally, so the success it enjoys among enthusiasts is important. During the visit to this cattle ranch, you can see the animals, as well as a museum, where you can see the only bull pardoned in the history of the bullring of Las Ventas [103]. This offer attracts both bullfighting and non-bullfighting enthusiasts, as the focus of the visits is usually more linked to the natural environment and the ethology of the species [104] than to a bullfighting event.

Although the main activity offered by a cattle ranch is to observe the fighting bulls in the pasture, either by tractor, off-road, trailer, or even on horseback, there are many other activities that tourists can perform in them [93]. Thus, quite a few ranches offer the possibility of capeas on their farms (40%), tentaderos, or horseshoes. In addition, many of them also offer the possibility of enjoying the typical gastronomy of the area in a lounge or house located on the farm itself with bullfighting decoration [100,105]. Other ranches even have museums so that tourists can learn in-depth about the history of the ranching [106]. Finally, an activity offered by a small number of ranches is the possibility of staying overnight on the farm itself. This opportunity allows tourists to enjoy maximum comfort, participate in the daily work of the cattle ranch, and learn about its history [107], as well as to wake up surrounded by these animals [108].

These findings reinforce the idea that one of the reasons for betting on bullfighting tourism has been the loss of profitability, increased by the pandemic. This allows us to corroborate hypothesis (H2).

It is also useful to know the demand for this type of activity, which will help to better define the tourism product or, if preferred, to better define and categorize an incipient tourism modality. This is related to the specific objective (SO3). The results obtained show that many people are interested in learning about the life of the fighting bull and, for this reason, decide to visit cattle ranches. These tourists come from both Spain and abroad [93,109]. In this sense, one ranch claims that more than 75% of the tourists visiting their ranch come from France [100]. Despite this success of visits, some farms only receive visitors at certain times of the year so as not to stress the animals [110].

On the other hand, the commercialization of livestock farm visits is carried out directly and indirectly. For this reason, there are intermediary companies that manage the entire reservation process [111]. There are also farms that have their own web page through which reservations can be made [112]. Other possibilities consist of booking these experiences through social networks or by telephone, as reflected in the questionnaire conducted in this study. Despite this diversity of ways of marketing and channeling visits, the use of companies to manage everything does not predominate and they prefer to do it directly. This can lead to a lower level of professionalization and, above all, to a lower level of customer acquisition. The main motivation mentioned by the latter is their interest in seeing the fighting bull in its natural habitat [100], and they are very satisfied with the visit, and a considerable part of them even intend to repeat the visit [113,114]. This shows the high degree of loyalty to these activities.

All of this allows corroborating hypothesis (H3), which facilitates obtaining a visitor prototype when establishing marketing campaigns.

In line with the specific objective (SO4), it should be noted that the results confirm that institutional promotion is not highly valued by livestock farm owners, while they do argue that they supervise their own promotion, something that is not clear from the information transmitted by the different administrations. In this line, it is worth mentioning that the Junta de Andalucía carried out a project in which it bet on the promotion of this animal as a differentiating element in terms of tourism [115]. Along the same lines, the Diputación de Cáceres has signed an agreement whose objective is to support the fighting bull and promote bullfighting in Extremadura [116]. As for the promotion of private tourism agents, many ranches promote their visits through social networks, websites, and companies dedicated to bullfighting tourism. In addition, thanks to news in the press, many people can learn more about this type of tourism. In 2021, the Fundación del Toro de Lidia demanded a real and effective promotion through media such as television. The objective was not only to promote bullfighting, but also ranching tourism, linked to tourism about other attractions in the area [117].

In general, tourists visit the cattle ranches individually, that is, they plan their visit to one of the many cattle ranches that exist. In spite of this, some provinces are trying to group cattle ranches together so that tourists can visit them when they travel to a certain destination. This is the case in Salamanca, which has launched a project called “Ruta del Toro Bravo Y la Dehesa Salmantina”, which consists of an itinerary to visit some farms in Salamanca where these animals are raised. This project involves 14 fighting bull ranches located in the province of Salamanca [118]. In the case of Madrid, there is the project “Madrid Rutas del Toro” (Madrid Bull Routes), whose objective is to make the fighting bull known in its natural habitat [119]. In Extremadura, there is also a project of this type called “Extremadura Dehesa y Toro”, which is made up of 11 cattle ranches located in this region, some of which have an important bullfighting tradition [120].

According to what has been observed in some web pages of different cattle ranches, the prices of a visit vary according to the activities carried out and the cattle ranch visited. In this sense, the prices range from EUR 30 to 150, depending on whether the tourist only wishes to make the touristic visit or if he/she is also interested in adding complementary activities such as a typical meal on the farm, tentadero, farrier, etc.

After this analysis, the promotion and management of bullfighting tourism could be improved, thus corroborating hypothesis (H4).

The results of this study, as well as the contact with the ranchers and users of this incipient modality known as bullfighting tourism, serve to further qualify the debate between pro-bullfighting and anti-bullfighting. In this sense, as is performed in some autonomous communities in Spain, an attempt is being made to protect bullfighting as an Asset of Cultural Interest, given that it is part of the Hispanic culture. There are multiple references in the cultural world that defend this art. It has been recognized as such since ancient times by numerous artists in literature, painting, cinema, etc. However, part of the society qualifies it as an anachronism, arguing that an animal is mistreated. These are two opposing positions, difficult to reconcile, with debates and social pressure on both sides. In many cases, criticism is made from a lack of knowledge, from a biased perspective, and without arguments. Therefore, possibly the best way to understand bullfighting and learn about the life of a fighting bull is the development of bullfighting tourism. This modality has as its fundamental axis to show the life of the animal in a state of semi-freedom for about 5 years, in which it is subjected to all kinds of care. In fact, some ranchers and workers recognize the pampering with which these animals are treated throughout their lives in the countryside. To this is added the role they play in the conservation of the environment, mainly the dehesa. Obviously, it is difficult to bring together such disparate positions, but it is possible that readers will try to reflect on two fundamental questions. The first is about the future of this subspecies of bovine, whose greatest quality is its bravery and whose only purpose is to participate in bullfights. Without them, its continuity would be compromised. The second would consist of thinking about the quality of life of an animal that lives in a state of semi-freedom and another that lives in stables for its entire life, in many cases less than a year.

On the other hand, although it is true that the study has achieved interesting findings, it must be recognized that it is conditioned by the number of responses and, consequently, this affects the reliability and consistency of the data, even though they enjoy statistical rigor. In this sense, it would be necessary to reach more breeders of this type of bovine and involve them in the study, something that, for the moment, has not been achieved despite the attempts made. This limitation of the study also conditions the use of other types of analysis that allow a classification of farms according to the responses, such as principal component factor analysis or even the use of spatial statistical techniques such as cluster analysis.

On the other hand, the study has raised certain ideas that should be analyzed in depth, giving continuity to the study. Among them, two stand out: the contribution to the environmental sustainability of fighting bull ranches and the doubts about the continuity of a species created for one purpose, its fighting. These are, without a doubt, two lines of work that need to be expanded given the scarce literature that is addressed and, above all, the conditioning of both to the postulates of a new society, where ethics and commitment to the postulates of animal defense clash with the consideration of bullfighting as a cultural element.

6. Conclusions

After conducting this study, the following conclusions were obtained:

In the first place, it can be deduced that bullfighting tourism goes beyond the act of bullfighting, that is, it encompasses everything related to the world of bullfighting. This type of tourism includes visits to bullfighting ranches and all the activities offered. Moreover, this type of tourism is relatively new, and more and more bull ranches are opening their doors to tourists.

Secondly, it is concluded that bullfighting tourism and, therefore, the animal in question, are part of the culture of Spain. In this sense, its disappearance could mean great economic and environmental losses, causing serious damage to the ecosystem in which it lives, the dehesa. In addition, the meat of this animal also has an important gastronomic value.

Thirdly, it can be deduced that promotion, both institutional and private, is still scarce and that many people have never heard of this type of tourism. For this reason, bullfighting tourism needs greater diffusion so that it reaches the greatest possible number of people. In addition, it is necessary that breeders invest in promotion so that the population learns to differentiate bullfighting tourism from the act of bullfighting, so that this type of tourism can be practiced by both supporters and detractors.

Fourthly, and in relation to the first objective, it is concluded that many bull ranches have their doors open to tourism. In this sense, there are very diverse activities offered in relation to this type of tourism; some of them include the observation of the fighting bull in its natural habitat, gastronomic experiences, visits to museums that tell the history of the cattle ranches, capeas, tentaderos, etc.

Fifthly, and regarding the second objective, it can be deduced that the world of bullfighting contributes a great deal to the tourism sector. In this sense, it is the second mass spectacle in Spain after soccer and moves about EUR 1500 million a year, in addition to generating many jobs. Despite this relationship and the contribution of bullfighting to the Spanish economy, it is important to differentiate between this activity and bullfighting tourism, as there are detractors of bullfighting who may be interested in learning about the life of the fighting bull in its natural habitat.

Sixthly, and in reference to the third objective, it is concluded that this type of tourism is very important for the farmers, since, in addition to the fact that it allows them to show their daily activities, their animals, and the history of their livestock, it is a source of extra income for them.

In seventh place, and about the fourth objective, it is deduced that, although the breeders have gone through a very difficult period after the situation caused by COVID-19, they are receiving more and more visits and there are more and more tourists interested in bullfighting tourism. In addition, it is concluded that most of the bullfighting ranches are in Andalusia, Extremadura, Castile and Leon, and Madrid.

From all of this, we can conclude that, despite the controversy generated by this sector and the scarce promotion of bullfighting tourism, this type of tourism is growing, and more and more breeders are deciding to open the doors of their ranches to tourism. This article opens new avenues of research, given the scarce knowledge that exists about this market niche, that can be framed within experience tourism.