Almería, Spain: the sea of plastic that props up the economy and tourism

Almería doesn't live on tourism. It lives on plastic.

Anyone visiting Almería in search of unspoilt coves suddenly comes across kilometres of white greenhouses: the "sea of plastic" of the Poniente. It is no landscape accident, it is the backbone of the province's economy, and the debate about what is worth seeing collides head-on with the productive reality.

The classic recommendations are Cabo de Gata, Agua Amarga, Isleta del Segarro, Mojácar or Villaricos. Others add the Alcazaba, the cathedral, the Cable Inglés and the Tabernas desert with Mini Hollywood. But there is a less flattering view: "There isn't much to see unless you're fond of beaches". And then there is the advice no guidebook will give you: step inside a greenhouse at two in the afternoon. You won't forget the experience. Those who did it in the 90s, picking a tonne of tomatoes a day, remember an environment that has changed completely since then.

The sea of plastic is not just a visual impact. It is a food and job-producing machine that has transformed the demography of the province. Anyone looking for an afternoon of cultural tourism may feel disappointed; anyone who wants to understand what really keeps Almería going should look beyond the historic centre to the countryside.

Tourism will remain a complement. But as long as the greenhouses keep watering half of Europe, Almería's economic identity is decided more under plastic than in front of the beach. The forecast is that the model will hold. The question is for how long before anyone looks underneath.