During Francisco Franco's era las Hurdes entered a time of economic stagnation and population loss, as urban centers and some areas close to the coast were favored for development much to the detriment of rural Spain. Following the dictatorship's "Plan de Estabilización" in 1959, the population declined steeply as people emigrated towards the industrial areas of the large cities and the coastal towns where tourism grew exponentially. Between 1955 and 1975 many Hurdanos left behind small villages where living conditions were often harsh, with cold snowy winters and very basic facilities. Some places like Arrocerezo, La Batuequilla, La Horcajada and El Moral, among others, were abandoned and became ghost towns.