Tourism and the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage: Anthropological Insights into the Antruejos of León, Spain

Carnival, as an expression of intangible cultural heritage, plays a significant role in shaping collective identity and tourism dynamics across diverse regions. In Spain, the antruejos of León constitute one of the most distinctive manifestations of traditional carnival, characterized by ancestral masquerades, archetypal characters, and rituals of symbolic inversion. This article examines the relationship between tourism and the safeguarding of antruejos. It situates these celebrations within the framework of Cultural Heritage Assets (Bienes de Interés Cultural, BIC) and analyses their impact on the revaluation and reinterpretation of festive heritage. Drawing on an anthropological approach and ethnographic fieldwork conducted in several localities of León, the study analyses how tourism shapes the continuity, transformation, and commodification of these carnivals, as well as the tensions between authenticity, revitalization, and spectacularization. The study provides a critical assessment of the role of antruejos in cultural tourism and of their contribution to the long-term sustainability of intangible heritage.