Barcelona's tourism crisis has reached a critical point, and the city's new commissioner for sustainable tourism, José Antonio Donaire, is on a mission to reclaim Barcelona's identity and return its iconic market, La Boquería, to its former glory. With a focus on managing visitor numbers and changing the profile of tourists, Donaire aims to restore the city's quality of life for residents and preserve its cultural heritage.
Donaire's appointment marks a significant shift in Barcelona's approach to tourism. The city has historically embraced tourism as a driver of economic growth, but recent years have seen a growing recognition of its negative impacts. The appointment of a commissioner dedicated to sustainable tourism is a bold move, indicating a willingness to address the challenges posed by overtourism.
One of the key challenges is the sheer number of visitors. Barcelona attracted 26 million visitors in the last year, and Donaire believes this number has reached its maximum capacity. He emphasizes the need to manage the existing tourists rather than simply trying to reduce their numbers.
A central part of Donaire's strategy is the revitalization of La Boquería market. Once a culinary haven for locals and tourists alike, the market has been transformed into a hub for takeaway snacks, alienating many residents. Donaire plans to restore its original purpose, focusing on fresh food sales and banning takeaway snacks. He aims to achieve this with the consent of the majority of stall holders, ensuring a smooth transition.
The city's attempt to curb visitor numbers began in 2017 with a moratorium on new hotel construction in the city center. However, this was undermined by the rise of short-let tourist apartments listed on platforms like Airbnb. To address this, Barcelona plans to revoke the licenses of 10,000 legal tourist apartments in 2028, encouraging landlords to put these properties back on the rental market and alleviate the housing crisis.
Donaire acknowledges the challenges of this approach, citing the example of New York City, where a similar ban on tourist apartments did not lead to an increase in rentals. However, he believes Barcelona has plans to incentivize landlords, aiming to bring 10,000 tourist apartments back into the residential market, equivalent to five years' growth in housing stock.
The commissioner's approach goes beyond simply reducing visitor numbers. He aims to change the profile and behavior of tourists. About 65% of visitors are classified as leisure tourists, while the rest are conference attendees or cultural visitors. The goal is to achieve a balanced split between leisure, cultural, and business travelers.
To achieve this, Barcelona plans to reduce the number of cruise ship berths from seven to five, as cruise passengers spend little when ashore and create more problems than benefits. The city will still receive over three million cruise passengers annually, but the focus is on managing their impact.
Day trippers, who account for seven million annual visitors, are another group that will not be affected by the restrictions on city center hotels and tourist lets. Barcelona has increased parking fees and forced coaches to park on the periphery to reduce their numbers. The city also aims to encourage repeat visitors to make day trips outside the city or explore areas like Montjuïc, a large park with museums and few residents.
Barcelona is also cracking down on antisocial behavior, including a ban on organized pub crawls. The city plans to invest a portion of the increased tourist tax into the city center to boost local commerce, which is currently dominated by convenience stores, souvenir shops, and cannabis stores.
While these proposals may face skepticism, Donaire and his supporters believe that after 30 years of tourist boom, the balance can be tipped back in favor of Barcelona's residents. He emphasizes the need to reclaim the city center for its citizens, stating, 'Many citizens feel the city center no longer belongs to them.' The question remains whether Donaire can be the catalyst for this much-needed transformation.
