Barcelona's tourist troubles
- 7 years ago
Bustling Barcelona with a beach, Gaudi, Lionel Messi is a highly desirable tourist destination.
But, mass tourism can have a detramental effect on the functioning and priorities of a city.
The Catalan capital, home to 1.6 million residents was swamped by 32 million tourists last year.
Barcelona, Spain pic.twitter.com/WHl1TzlwkA— World Travels ✈️ (@WorIdTravels) June 28, 2017
For those that live in Barcelona tourism has become the city’s number one concern ahead of unemployment.
Ada Colau is the Mayor of Barcelona:’‘In the five years since we have been in power we have seen a 20 percent increase in tourism and it has hurt housing.
Rocketing real estate prices are driving people out of the city and driving residents mad, protests are brewing.
Anti-social tourism #protest #Barcelona pic.twitter.com/UamqcElEAL— Stefanie Hoherz (@stefhoherz) September 4, 2015
Maria Sisternas is from Urban Media consulting;“Real estate provides more earnings that jobs and this makes us very vulnerable, it makes us a less productive economy.”
The Hotel Association of Barcelona is also under pressure from some 7,000 illegal apartments listed on digital platforms such as Airbnb.
The charming Gothic Quarter in #Barcelona: a must for a nice walk. #VisitSpain #MyTripInSpain #holidays #tourism VisitBCN_EN pic.twitter.com/34M0IkBryN— Spain (spain) June 28, 2017
Jordi Clos is the President Hotel Association of Barcelona and concerned about the future: “Illegal tourist accomodation creates discontent because this is not the kind of tourism we want and besides it is a problem for the residents of Barcelona.”
Daniel Pardo is a member of the Association of Neighborhood for Sustainable Tourism:
‘‘This will continue to devalue our lives, or we radically change the model of the city and invest in sustainable economies or Barcelona will become a theme park. The way of containing tourism is to reduce the economic impact of tourism in the city.”
But with such cultural jewels on offer how can rampant tourism be controlled.
SUMMER: Dallas, Texas to Barcelona, Spain for only $407 roundtrip with AirCanadahttps://t.co/7HmAxyk7hv pic.twitter.com/58pnu5svfE— Secret Flying (SecretFlying) June 28, 2017
Ada Colau the Mayor of Barcelona continues:’‘Both tourists and citizens agree that tourism is positive, but in order to keep being positive it needs to be planned and regulated to be sustainable.”
Cristins Giner is in the city for euronews:“Both the city council and the associations that are pro or anti-tourism liase with other European cities such as Venice, Paris and Berlin to find a common solution to mass tourism.”
But, mass tourism can have a detramental effect on the functioning and priorities of a city.
The Catalan capital, home to 1.6 million residents was swamped by 32 million tourists last year.
Barcelona, Spain pic.twitter.com/WHl1TzlwkA— World Travels ✈️ (@WorIdTravels) June 28, 2017
For those that live in Barcelona tourism has become the city’s number one concern ahead of unemployment.
Ada Colau is the Mayor of Barcelona:’‘In the five years since we have been in power we have seen a 20 percent increase in tourism and it has hurt housing.
Rocketing real estate prices are driving people out of the city and driving residents mad, protests are brewing.
Anti-social tourism #protest #Barcelona pic.twitter.com/UamqcElEAL— Stefanie Hoherz (@stefhoherz) September 4, 2015
Maria Sisternas is from Urban Media consulting;“Real estate provides more earnings that jobs and this makes us very vulnerable, it makes us a less productive economy.”
The Hotel Association of Barcelona is also under pressure from some 7,000 illegal apartments listed on digital platforms such as Airbnb.
The charming Gothic Quarter in #Barcelona: a must for a nice walk. #VisitSpain #MyTripInSpain #holidays #tourism VisitBCN_EN pic.twitter.com/34M0IkBryN— Spain (spain) June 28, 2017
Jordi Clos is the President Hotel Association of Barcelona and concerned about the future: “Illegal tourist accomodation creates discontent because this is not the kind of tourism we want and besides it is a problem for the residents of Barcelona.”
Daniel Pardo is a member of the Association of Neighborhood for Sustainable Tourism:
‘‘This will continue to devalue our lives, or we radically change the model of the city and invest in sustainable economies or Barcelona will become a theme park. The way of containing tourism is to reduce the economic impact of tourism in the city.”
But with such cultural jewels on offer how can rampant tourism be controlled.
SUMMER: Dallas, Texas to Barcelona, Spain for only $407 roundtrip with AirCanadahttps://t.co/7HmAxyk7hv pic.twitter.com/58pnu5svfE— Secret Flying (SecretFlying) June 28, 2017
Ada Colau the Mayor of Barcelona continues:’‘Both tourists and citizens agree that tourism is positive, but in order to keep being positive it needs to be planned and regulated to be sustainable.”
Cristins Giner is in the city for euronews:“Both the city council and the associations that are pro or anti-tourism liase with other European cities such as Venice, Paris and Berlin to find a common solution to mass tourism.”