It was in the municipal elections in Barcelona nearly a decade ago that overtourism emerged as a major issue. In August 2014, there had been a series of protests about the negative impacts of tourism, dubbed the “Barceloneta Crisis”, some protests attracting over a thousand participants. Barcelona’s Mayor promised an inspection and crackdown on illegal holiday apartments in La Barceloneta and 24 holiday apartments were closed down.
Ada Colau, elected Mayor in 2015, drew parallels with the fate of Venice: “Any city that sacrifices itself on the altar of mass tourism will be abandoned by its people when they can no longer afford the cost of housing, food, and basic everyday necessities.” Colau argued that the scale of visitor numbers is “affecting not only residents’ quality of life, but their very ability to live in the area.” She went on to argue that the “tourism crisis in Barcelona is further proof of the emptiness of the promises of neoliberalism that deregulation and privatisation will allow us all to prosper.”
City hall officials have seen the problems emerging and begun to think about how the city government might respond. Under the electoral coalition of En Comú Podem (“In Common We Can”), Barcelona experimented with many initiatives to manage tourism sustainably and led the way. Many have since followed Barcelona’s lead as overtourism has rapidly emerged as a global problem. While it is not a problem everywhere, it is a problem, on all six continents.
The new administration, elected in 2023, has sought to control the movement and negative impact of large groups of tourists. It has closed parts of the city, introduced a one-way system, and restricted numbers and noise in the areas still open to groups. Cruise ships are being displaced to the Moll d’Adossat pier south of the city, a 30-minute shuttle bus ride from the Ramblas and they are to be limited to seven berthings per day, down from ten. The abandoned quay is to be redeveloped as a public space.
Now, under the new administration, headed by Mayor Jaume Collboni, the city plans to invest €44 million in 33 measures. The city is quoted as planning “palliative measures aimed at cushioning the impact of an activity that is breaking records again. And in no case about imposing limits.” The first interventions will be this summer around the Sagrada Família, the Boqueria market, Gardunya square, and Park Güell. La Vanguardia reports that: “The idea is nothing other than to tame the beast, to master the dark and sometimes uncontrollable side of tourism.”
The city is continuing to avoid scapegoating tourists launching a communications campaign “Barcelona, our home. And yours. Everyone is welcome. Be respectful and you will be respected.” An app is being planned that will warn visitors when places are already overcrowded. Deputy Mayor Jordi Valls argues that “Tourism is a source of wealth, but it does not add value when it exceeds certain limits. We cannot control demand, but we can control the supply.”
Barcelona is also planning to ban apartment rentals to tourists by 2028.
