While other countries plan to boost their tourism sector, Barcelona is seen to propose in curbing it. The city has exhausted its control and management of the 32 million travelers visiting the metropolis and has caused uneasiness among the locals.
Tourists exceeded the number of locals and clogged up the streets. Moreover, it has maxed its resources and priced its properties high which seemed unjustifiable among the Spanish citizens.
Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau as Telegraph reports, said, "If we don't want to end up like Venice, we will have to put some limit in Barcelona." She continued saying, "We can grow more, but I don't know how much more."
A law will be proposed to minimize hotel construction and issuances of new tourism accommodations until the city's tourism sector is manageable. Additionally, people working in the industry demanded higher wages as they worked overtime to accommodate the growing arrivals.
The law, however, has earned the ire of most businesses stating that it will affect their earnings as they rely heavily on travelers. Barcelona Hoteliers Association Director General told Telegraph Manel Casals as well that the setting limits to hotels and accommodation spaces are wrong.
"Of the 32 million people who visited Barcelona last year, only 8 million stayed in hotels. 23 million were day-trippers who spend very little money in the city. You're not going to regulate tourism by limiting the number of beds. They're not regulating tourism, they're only regulating where people sleep."
A writer of the news site also expressed her concerns regarding the law. Writer Sally Davies said, "I am a fan of Ada Colau, and what she hopes to achieve. But I hope she does not get swept up in the populist sentiment of 'tourists go home.'
"I hope she takes into account that a lot of businesses here, including century-old shops and tiny restaurants, have only managed to survive the recession thanks to the tourist dollar."
