Ciudad, patrimonio cultural y turismo sostenible en el siglo XXI: los casos de Madrid y Barcelon

During the first decades of the 21st century, the balance between cultural heritage and urban planning has emerged as a fundamental element to ensure equitable and sustainable tourism development. Protecting heritage from abusive tourism practices is essential for the long‐term preservation of assets. This is a global phenomenon with significant contributions across various continents, notably in the European context. The tourism sector in Spain continues to grow, and the most relevant heritage cities have studies in place to ensure the conservation and sustainability of their environments, where applications and technology are beginning to emerge as key tools. This article seeks to assess the measures against various drifts in two major Spanish cities: Madrid and Barcelona. An exhaustive bibliographic review has been conducted to identify the main advances and lines of debate on the issue, highlighting innovative techniques and methodologies applied in specific urban environments, and finally, indicating some lines for future debate. With this, the study seeks to contribute to the reflection on the need for responsible tourism that respects and preserves cultural heritage.