On July 6, a collective of local groups campaigning for tourism degrowth protested over mounting concerns that mass tourism is responsible for, among other things, driving up short-term housing prices and making city center apartments unavailable and unaffordable for locals. The Barcelona event, the latest in a slew of similar anti-tourism protests held throughout Spain, including in the Canary Islands, Malaga, the Balearic Islands, and Girona, made international headlines when, in an isolated act of frustration, a small group of protesters were filmed squirting unsuspecting tourists with water guns and symbolically taping-over hotel entrances and restaurant terraces.
The incident was short-lived and a reported 2,800 protesters continued their march without further interactions with visitors. The videos went viral and scores of potential travelers took to social media to question their safety in Barcelona. But while overtourism is a major concern for some residents, the act of targeting tourists was publicly condemned by the local government and does not reflect the sentiments of the majority.
Catalonia native Pablo Martínez, who works in public relations, empathizes with the frustration driving the protest but strongly disagrees with how some vented. “Squirting tourists with water guns might grab attention, but also risks creating a negative image of our city,” he said. “Constructive dialogue would be much more effective in addressing these concerns.”
Following the protest, city officials reiterated recent proposals to curb overtourism, including Mayor Jaime Collboni’s plan to cancel all short-term rental licenses by 2028 to create new housing for locals, ban cruise ships from docking at the city center, and increase tourism taxes from 3.25 euros to 4 euros (US$4) per person per day, by October—which is forecasted to earn the city 115 million euros by year’s end.
While the number of overnight hotel stays failed to reach prepandemic numbers in 2023, the city broke records in tourist spending last year. According to the Observatori del Turisme a Barcelona, Barcelona’s tourism statistics reporting arm, Barcelona city and the surrounding region earned 12.75 billion euros (US$13.8 billion) in revenue in 2023. In the city alone, that’s 14.7 percent higher than in 2019. Given the success, why are some local organizations proposing to drastically reduce tourism?
Residents concerned about how they benefit from tourism revenue
Sales director Anna Caravaca, who was born and raised in Barcelona, believes the question of how locals stand to benefit from all that tourism revenue is at the root of some of the frustrations and protests. “Where is public money being spent and what kind of grants and support is being offered [to residents]?” she asked.
Apart from housing issues, many locals are also concerned about how mass tourism is affecting the environment and general quality of life.
“Based on conversations around me, the biggest overtourism challenges are an increase in housing costs, noise disruptions, street pollution, and sustainability issues like water shortages and ocean contamination,” said Caravaca.
Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turistic (ABDT), the group that organized the protest earlier this month, published a manifesto detailing other reasons they perceive tourism should be greatly reduced, including the gentrification of residential neighborhoods and low-paying hospitality jobs.
Consistently among the most highly visited cities in Europe, Barcelona welcomed 16.1 million visitors in the first quarter of this year. According to the Statistical Institute of Catalonia, these numbers will continue to climb; 2 million tourists arrived in May alone, or 5.9 percent more than the previous year.
“The city seems more crowded with tourists than ever, especially in popular neighborhoods and during major events,” said Sergio Campano, a long-time resident and sustainable business consultant. “Tourism is an integral part of Barcelona’s economy. Instead of campaigning to eliminate it, most residents seek a more balanced approach that minimizes the negative impact of mass tourism.”
What visitors to Barcelona are saying
Visitors are also noticing the impact of large numbers of tourists in the city.
Jessica Van Dop DeJesus, an American who has been living in Brussels since 2021, visits the city regularly. “It no longer feels like you can just pop into a restaurant without reservations,” she said.
Accommodation prices are also on the rise. “Back in the day, we [could book] a design hotel for 115 euros [US$125] per night,” she said. “Last August, we could only find a decent stay on the outskirts for 200 euros [US$218] a night.”
Jill Schildhouse, who lives in Arizona, visited Barcelona in May for the first time in more than a decade with her father, Howard. “Compared to last time, the crowds were especially overwhelming around the major landmarks,” she said.
“However, all the locals we encountered were friendly and welcoming. I felt safe and I’d come again for sure. It’s a fantastic city, with so much to see, do, and eat!” said Schildhouse.
First-time visitors Nikki San Pedro and JJ Habenicht will soon travel to Barcelona from Los Angeles with San Pedro’s mother and aunt and plan to rent a short-term apartment. She is more concerned about petty crime against the not-so-travel-savvy older ladies when touring on their own than staying at an Airbnb.
“I’m sympathetic to the protesters as I’ve heard locals don’t always get a chance to enjoy their own [public spaces] due to mass tourism demands. I hope to not add to that problem by being [mindful] and respectful,” said San Pedro.
A path forward for responsible tourism in Barcelona
To that end, the city has spent 400,000 euros on a 10-point responsible tourism campaign to remind visitors of the city’s co-existence “rules.” They include polite requests that have been placed on colorful placards in and around the most highly trafficked areas like public transportation hubs and airports, reminding visitors to use water responsibly, keep the noise levels down at night, and throw litter in garbage bins. Introduced in June, it is too soon to tell how visitors are responding to the campaign.
Although ABDT doesn’t believe that eliminating short-term rentals is enough to combat overtourism, a 2023 Barcelona City Council poll indicates that the majority of residents think tourism is beneficial to the city.
“Raising tourism taxes, encouraging responsible tourism, and cutting down on the number of cruise ships could help ease the pressure and bring in money for improving infrastructure,” said Martínez. “But it’s crucial to involve the local community in these decisions to create a tourism model that reflects the spirit of our city and its people.”
