In the Footsteps of Tradition: Reinventing the Paths of Santa Faz Within the Paradigm of Sustainability and Territorial Development in Alicante

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Revisions Required:

 

Related to the reference of private Collection of Figures or to the archive documents is guaranteed the authorization for Use. Are figures authorized for use?

All the maps need to be revised to include the references to scale, North, and legend. It is crucial to add all cartographic elements and indicative legends of the content to all maps. Ensure the maps are clear and that routes, towers, and other relevant elements are effectively identified to enhance understanding. Additionally, include appropriate numerical correspondence between the legend and all identified elements on the maps.

The maps exhibit a significantly inconsistent approach and design, reflecting a lack of coherence in the presentation of ideas and the organization of the study's instruments. We have concerns regarding the suitability of its use in this publication..

egarding the methods, it is essential to elaborate on the community engagement proposal (line 560) and the participatory approaches (line 561). Additionally, the explanation should address the direct involvement of the community in route planning and heritage conservation (line 562), community-focused tourism initiatives (line 566), and the multidisciplinary approach.

Moreover, the connection between the proposed Green Route, reforestation efforts, the development of sustainable tourism, and heritage conservation remains unclear. These links need to be clearly articulated and explained for better understanding.

In the proposed routes (p. 24), the criteria for their selection are not clearly outlined, making it difficult to understand the basis for these choices. Additionally, there is a lack of clarity on how the first part of the text (up to p. 22) connects with the second part of the article, beginning after p. 22. Clear criteria and a cohesive link between these sections are essential for better comprehension.

The Santa Fé Pilgrimage Project and its connection to the SDGs (p. 26) appear disconnected from the rest of the article. It is crucial to organize the ideas and refine the methodological approach to ensure coherence and support a robust scientific study. Currently, the scientific foundation presented is weak and requires significant strengthening.

The methodological approach requires significant improvements, as it currently lacks clarity and structure. Organizing the ideas and refining the methodology are essential to ensure a more cohesive and scientifically sound study. A well-structured approach will enhance the study's credibility and its ability to effectively address the research objectives.

The study could focus its approach on the survey (p. 27), which offers potential for an interesting analysis. However, if this is the chosen direction, a detailed methodological explanation and a clear outline of the research procedures are essential to ensure the study meets the standards of scientific research.

The instruments and graphic information should be developed in a clear, transparent, and organized manner. This means that all tools, data, and visuals used in the study must be presented in a way that is easy to understand and logically structured. Transparency ensures that the methods and data can be easily interpreted and verified, while organization helps guide the reader through the information in a coherent and accessible way. This approach is crucial for maintaining the credibility and clarity of the research.

Author Response

Comments 1: Related to the reference of private Collection of Figures or to the archive documents is guaranteed the authorization for Use. Are figures authorized for use?

Response 1: We sincerely appreciate the reviewer’s observation. We would like to clarify that all the figures and plans included in the article have been generated by us. Therefore, no external authorization is required for their use. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Comments 2: All the maps need to be revised to include the references to scale, North, and legend. It is crucial to add all cartographic elements and indicative legends of the content to all maps. Ensure the maps are clear and that routes, towers, and other relevant elements are effectively identified to enhance understanding. Additionally, include appropriate numerical correspondence between the legend and all identified elements on the maps.

Response 2: We sincerely appreciate the reviewer’s valuable observation. The maps have been carefully revised to include all the necessary cartographic elements, such as the scale, North arrow, and legends. However, it is important to note that such modifications could not be applied to original historical maps, as these cannot be altered by us. Comments 3: The maps exhibit a significantly inconsistent approach and design, reflecting a lack of coherence in the presentation of ideas and the organization of the study's instruments. We have concerns regarding the suitability of its use in this publication. Response 3: We sincerely appreciate the reviewer’s observation and thoughtful feedback. The maps included in the article indeed serve different purposes, which explains the variation in their design and typology. Each map has been tailored to fulfill a specific objective, such as being purely descriptive, providing geographical information, serving cultural dissemination, enhancing public outreach, or offering clear signage. This diversity reflects the multifaceted nature of the study and its instruments. Nevertheless, we remain fully open to any further suggestions or additional observations the reviewer may consider appropriate to improve the coherence and overall presentation. Thank you again for your valuable input.   Comments 4: Regarding the methods, it is essential to elaborate on the community engagement proposal (line 560) and the participatory approaches (line 561). Additionally, the explanation should address the direct involvement of the community in route planning and heritage conservation (line 562), community-focused tourism initiatives (line 566), and the multidisciplinary approach. Response 4: We greatly appreciate the reviewer’s valuable suggestion to elaborate on the community engagement proposal mentioned on line 560-566. This section has been expanded to provide further clarity and detail regarding how the local community will actively participate in the development and preservation of the Santa Faz pilgrimage routes. This expansion highlights specific mechanisms for involvement, including participatory workshops, stakeholder consultations, and local employment opportunities in the restoration and maintenance of the routes.

Comments 5: The connection between the proposed Green Route, reforestation efforts, the development of sustainable tourism, and heritage conservation remains unclear. These links need to be clearly articulated and explained for better understanding.

Response 5: Thank you for the insightful comment regarding the connection between the proposed Green Route, reforestation efforts, sustainable tourism development, and heritage conservation. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify and expand on these links. A revision will be introduced to articulate how these elements are interrelated, enhancing the coherence of the methodology and demonstrating the integrated approach of the study.

 

Comments 6: In the proposed routes (p. 24), the criteria for their selection are not clearly outlined, making it difficult to understand the basis for these choices. Additionally, there is a lack of clarity on how the first part of the text (up to p. 22) connects with the second part of the article, beginning after p. 22. Clear criteria and a cohesive link between these sections are essential for better comprehension.

Response 6: We sincerely appreciate the reviewer’s thoughtful comment and acknowledge the importance of clarifying both the criteria for selecting the proposed routes and the connection between the two sections of the article. To address this, we propose including a transition paragraph that cohesively links the first part of the article to the proposed routes.

 

Comments 7: The Santa Fé [sic] Pilgrimage Project and its connection to the SDGs (p. 26) appear disconnected from the rest of the article. It is crucial to organize the ideas and refine the methodological approach to ensure coherence and support a robust scientific study. Currently, the scientific foundation presented is weak and requires significant strengthening.

Response 7: Thank you for your detailed and constructive comments. We acknowledge the need to better integrate the Santa Faz Pilgrimage Project and its relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We will address these issues by efining the methodological approach to ensure coherence and scientific rigor.

 

Comments 8: The study could focus its approach on the survey (p. 27), which offers potential for an interesting analysis. However, if this is the chosen direction, a detailed methodological explanation and a clear outline of the research procedures are essential to ensure the study meets the standards of scientific research.

Response 8: We appreciate the reviewer’s suggestion to focus on the survey as a central element of the study and acknowledge the need to provide a detailed methodological explanation to ensure scientific rigor. In response, we propose expanding the section on the survey to include a comprehensive description of the research design, procedures, and analysis methods.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Interesting topic.

Good research,

However, I have some suggestions:

Inlcude literature review, explore different studies on such topics, how other places promote their heritage towards sustainable development.

The authors do survey among guides and adults, which is very limited.

Present how many tourists visit the site every year, are they domestic or international tourists, their demographic characteristics, how tourism contributes to local development: GDP, jobs, local businesses.

Explore the opinion of potential tourists, to they know about the site, what will promote them to visit this site?

 1. What is the main question addressed by the research?

The main question is to propose the revitalization of the Santa Faz pilgrimage routes as an initiative to preserve Alicante’s cultural heritage and foster sustainable tourism practices.   2. Do you consider the topic original or relevant to the field? Does it address a specific gap in the field? Please also explain why this is/ is not the case. The topic is original, relevant to field and may promote cultural heritage preservation and foster sustainable tourism development.   3. What does it add to the subject area compared with other published material? The aurthor/s have presented some similiar studies, but it would be good to present how similiar sites have fostered sustainable tourism based on cultural heritage.   4. What specific improvements should the authors consider regarding the methodology? What further controls should be considered? Add some quantitaive methods. Survey among guides and adults is not enough,  Present current state of tourism in that area, the number of tourists, the economic contribution of tourism to the destination: GDP, jobs, local businesses involved in tourism. Do a survey among potential tourists to understand if they would like to visit there. Explore why now tourists visit there, what obstacles they see for tourism development.   5. Are the conclusions consistent with the evidence and arguments presented and do they address the main question posed? Please also explain why this is/is not the case. The article is mainly descriptive study, improve the analysis and conclusion based on it.   6.  Are the references appropriate? Yes   7. Any additional comments on the tables and figures.

No.

Author Response

Comments 1: The authors do survey among guides and adults, which is very limited. Present how many tourists visit the site every year, are they domestic or international tourists, their demographic characteristics, how tourism contributes to local development: GDP, jobs, local businesses.

Response 1: Thank you for your detailed observations and for highlighting the need for a more comprehensive contextualization of the study. While the survey conducted among guides and adults provides valuable qualitative insights, we acknowledge that presenting additional data about the number of visitors, their demographic characteristics, and tourism's contributions to the local economy would enhance the study. This is why we have incorporated this information into the text.

Comments 2: Explore the opinion of potential tourists, to they know about the site, what will promote them to visit this site?.

Response 2: Thank you for your insightful suggestions on enhancing the study's methodology and incorporating quantitative data. While this research focuses primarily on the revitalization of the Santa Faz Pilgrimage routes and their cultural, environmental, and socio-economic implications, we recognize the importance of integrating quantitative methods to provide a more comprehensive analysis. Although a dedicated survey among potential tourists and additional economic data were not part of the initial scope, we have incorporated publicly available data on the current state of tourism in Alicante to enrich the discussion. Furthermore, we propose conducting future studies that include quantitative surveys among potential tourists to explore motivations, barriers, and expectations related to visiting the Santa Faz Pilgrimage.

 

Comments 3: Are the conclusions consistent with the evidence and arguments presented and do they address the main question posed? Please also explain why this is/is not the case. The article is mainly descriptive study, improve the analysis and conclusion based on it. 

Response 3: We sincerely appreciate the reviewer’s thoughtful observation regarding the conclusions and the need for stronger analytical connections to the evidence presented. While the article predominantly focuses on a descriptive study of the Santa Faz Pilgrimage’s historical, cultural, and socio-economic dimensions, we recognize the importance of deepening the analysis and ensuring that the conclusions are robustly aligned with the evidence and main research questions. To address this, we propose revising the conclusion to explicitly link key findings with the broader implications for heritage preservation, sustainable tourism, and community development.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article is about the heritage that is the Santa Faz routes within the paradigm of sustainability and territorial development in Alicante. 

The study is a very interesting case of analysing the potential of local heritage and the possibilities for its development within the framework of sustainable cultural tourism.

Several elements caught my attention. In several fragments, additional information could enrich and improve the article.

Firstly, it would be useful to include up-to-date data on the number of inhabitants in the region under analysis.

Secondly, in my opinion, it would be good to provide information and an answer to the question of how Santa Faz is currently promoted in the tourist offer of Alicante (i.g. https://alicanteturismo.com/en/santa-faz-pilgrimage/) 

Thirdly, in the context of contemporary secularisation, it would be useful to comment on whether there is a tension between a group of the population and the religious nature of the pilgrimage. I am also thinking of the relationship between local authorities and the Church. Is there still cooperation in rituals without any conflict? Is there not a reluctance on the part of the secular authorities to participate in this Custody?

Fourthly, it is worth characterising, if possible, the groups of people interviewed: tour guides and 'adults'. What are the ages of the tour guides and the 'adults'? With regard to the latter group, who are they: students (hereafter in Figure 23: 'students'), activists, employees of tourist institutions? 

In line 487, instead of 'this year', I propose to change it to 'in 2024'.

Author Response

Comments 1: Firstly, it would be useful to include up-to-date data on the number of inhabitants in the region under analysis.

Response 1: Thank you for your insightful suggestions on enhancing the study's methodology and incorporating quantitative data. While this research focuses primarily on the revitalization of the Santa Faz Pilgrimage routes and their cultural, environmental, and socio-economic implications, we recognize the importance of integrating quantitative methods to provide a more comprehensive analysis. Although a dedicated survey among potential tourists and additional economic data were not part of the initial scope, we have incorporated publicly available data on the current state of tourism in Alicante to enrich the discussion. Furthermore, we propose conducting future studies that include quantitative surveys among potential tourists to explore motivations, barriers, and expectations related to visiting the Santa Faz Pilgrimage. .

Comments 2: Secondly, in my opinion, it would be good to provide information and an answer to the question of how Santa Faz is currently promoted in the tourist offer of Alicante (i.g. https://alicanteturismo.com/en/santa-faz-pilgrimage/).

Response 2: Thank you for your insightful suggestion to include information on how the Santa Faz pilgrimage is currently promoted within Alicante's tourism offer. We agree that addressing this aspect would enhance the study's comprehensiveness by contextualizing the pilgrimage within the region’s broader tourism strategy. While the article primarily focuses on heritage revitalization, we propose incorporating a discussion of the existing promotional efforts, referencing sources like the Alicante Turismo website, and reflecting on how these efforts could be expanded or improved in alignment with the proposed initiatives..

 

Comments 3: Thirdly, in the context of contemporary secularisation, it would be useful to comment on whether there is a tension between a group of the population and the religious nature of the pilgrimage. I am also thinking of the relationship between local authorities and the Church. Is there still cooperation in rituals without any conflict? Is there not a reluctance on the part of the secular authorities to participate in this Custody? 

Response 3: Thank you for raising this important point regarding the potential tensions arising from contemporary secularization and the relationship between local authorities and the Church in the context of the Santa Faz pilgrimage. While this study primarily focuses on the cultural, environmental, and socio-economic dimensions of the pilgrimage, we recognize the value of addressing these socio-political dynamics to provide a more holistic perspective. We propose incorporating a discussion on the interplay between secular authorities and the Church, including any potential tensions or areas of collaboration, in the broader cultural and governance context of the pilgrimage..

 

Comments 4: Fourthly, it is worth characterising, if possible, the groups of people interviewed: tour guides and 'adults'. What are the ages of the tour guides and the 'adults'? With regard to the latter group, who are they: students (hereafter in Figure 23: 'students'), activists, employees of tourist institutions?

Response 4: Thank you for highlighting the need to provide a clearer characterization of the groups interviewed, including their demographic details and professional backgrounds. We recognize the importance of offering this context to enhance the transparency and rigor of the study. While the article currently uses broad terms like "tour guides" and "adults," we propose adding a detailed description of these groups, including their ages, affiliations, and roles, based on the data collected during the survey,

 

Comments 5: In line 487, instead of 'this year', I propose to change it to 'in 2024'.

Response 5: Thank you for your observation. We appreciate your suggestion and have updated the text, replacing "this year" with "in 2024" as recommended.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors have made significant improvements, making the article easier to read and understand. The main objectives are now clearer, and the content is better organized. The adopted methodology better supports the findings and discussions.