A group of local organisations protested on July 6th, calling for the cutback in tourism, citing growing concern that mass tourism is driving up short-term housing prices and making it unaffordable for locals to rent apartments in city centres. The Barcelona demonstration, the latest in a series of similar anti-tourism demonstrations across Spain, including in the Canary Islands, Málaga, the Balearic Islands and Girona, attracted international attention after small groups of demonstrators were filmed spraying unsuspecting tourists with water pistols and symbolically covering hotel entrances and restaurant terraces with tape in an act of isolated frustration.
The incident was short-lived, and the reported 2,800 protesters continued marching without further interaction with the tourists. The video went viral, leading many tourists to question their safety in Barcelona on social media. However, while overtourism is a major concern for some residents, the act targeting tourists has been publicly condemned by the local government and does not reflect the feelings of the majority of the people.
Pablo Martinez, a Catalan who works in public relations, sympathizes with the frustration that has motivated the protests but strongly disagrees with the way some people are venting their frustrations. “Spraying tourists with water pistols may attract attention, but it also risks negatively impacting our city,” Martinez said. “A constructive dialogue would be much more effective in addressing these concerns.”
The protests have led city officials to reiterate recent proposals to curb overtourism, including Mayor Jaime Corboni’s plan to revoke all short-term rental licenses by 2028 to build new housing for locals, ban cruise ships from docking in the city center and increase tourist taxes from €3.25 to €4 (US$4) per person per day by October, a move that is projected to raise €115 million in revenue for the city by the end of the year.
Although hotel nights in 2023 will not reach pre-pandemic figures, the city broke records for tourist spending last year. According to Barcelona Tourism, the city’s tourism statistics reporting body, the city of Barcelona and the surrounding area are expected to generate revenue of 12.75 billion euros (US$13.8 billion) in 2023. For the city alone, this is 14.7% higher than in 2019. Given this success, why are some local organizations proposing to drastically cut back on tourists?
Residents are concerned about how they will benefit from tourism revenue.
Anna Caravaca, a sales director who was born and raised in Barcelona, believes questions about how locals benefit from tourism revenues are at the root of some of the discontent and protests: “Where is public money being spent and what subsidies and support are being provided? [to residents]” she asked.
Beyond the housing issue, many local residents are also concerned about how mass tourism is affecting the environment and their overall quality of life.
“Judging from the conversations I’ve had around me, the biggest challenges of overtourism are rising housing costs, noise disruptions, street pollution, and sustainability issues like water scarcity and marine pollution,” Caravaca said.
The Rally for Downsizing Tourism (ABDT), a group that organised the protests earlier this month, released a manifesto detailing other reasons why they believe tourism should be drastically cut, including gentrification and low-wage hospitality jobs.
Barcelona, one of the most visited cities in Europe, welcomed 16.1 million tourists in the first quarter of this year, and according to the Catalan Statistics Institute, this figure continues to grow, with 2 million tourists arriving in May alone, a 5.9% increase on last year.
“The city seems more crowded with tourists than ever, especially in popular areas and during big events,” said Sergio Campano, a longtime Barcelona resident and sustainable business consultant. “Tourism is an essential part of Barcelona’s economy, and rather than campaigning to eliminate tourism, many residents are calling for a more balanced approach that minimizes the negative impacts of mass tourism.”
What people who visited Barcelona say
Visitors are also starting to notice the impact of large numbers of tourists in the city.
Jessica van Dop de Jesus, an American who has been living in Brussels since 2021 and visits the city regularly, says, “It’s no longer the kind of place where you can just walk into a restaurant without a reservation.”
Accommodation rates are also on the rise. [could book] 115 euro design hotel [US$125] “Last August, the only decent place I could find was on the outskirts for 200 euros a night,” she says. [US$218] “One night.”
Jill Schildhaus, of Arizona, visited Barcelona in May with her father, Howard, for the first time in more than 10 years. “Compared to last time, the crowds were much worse, especially around the major landmarks,” she said.
“But all the locals we met were friendly and welcoming, we felt safe and we’d definitely come back! It’s a great city with lots to see, do and eat!” Schildhaus said.
Nikki San Pedro and JJ Habenicht, who are visiting Barcelona for the first time, will soon travel to Barcelona from Los Angeles with San Pedro’s mother and aunt and plan to rent a short-term apartment. Rather than staying in an Airbnb, San Pedro is concerned about petty crime that may occur when older women who are less travel-savvy travel alone.
“I sympathise with the protesters as I hear local people don’t always get to enjoy themselves. [public spaces] This is due to the large amount of tourism demand. [mindful] “And they treated me with respect,” San Pedro said.
Advancing responsible tourism in Barcelona
To that end, the city has launched a €400,000, 10-point responsible tourism campaign to remind visitors of the city’s coexistence “rules.” The campaign includes polite requests on colorful placards posted in and around the city’s busiest areas, like public transport hubs and airports, urging visitors to use water responsibly, keep noise down at night, throw rubbish in bins, and so on. It remains to be seen how tourists respond to the campaign, which was introduced in June.
While ABDT believes eliminating short-term rentals alone will not be enough to combat overtourism, a 2023 Barcelona City Council opinion poll showed that the majority of residents believe tourism is beneficial for the city.
“Increasing tourist taxes, encouraging responsible tourism and reducing cruise ship numbers could ease the pressure and raise funds for infrastructure improvements,” Martinez said, “but involving local communities in these decisions is crucial to creating a tourism model that reflects the spirit of our city and its people.”
