The figures from this past summer have given Barcelona the indisputable title of the most touristic city in Spain. Because with 1.7 million visitors staying at hotels in the Catalan Capital, this summer Barcelona was one of the favourite cities in Europe among tourists. With the official number of tourists up 5%, mainly in July and August, Barcelona has set new records and filled each and every one of its most emblematic spots, including hotels, restaurants and central areas like the famous Ramblas. The huge number of tourists that flooded Barcelona in July and August were mainly from the rest of Spain. Spaniards were not only the largest group of tourists in Barcelona, but also the fastest growing nationality: up 8% this summer, year on year.

In a city where hotel occupancy rates are close to 89% and those for tourist apartments are approaching 90%, there is also room for conflict. The measures the Barcelona City Council has taken with regard to tourist flats, improved mobility to the city’s top sights and vehicle restrictions, among others, have managed to alleviate a good part of the effects of the influx of tourists that has been felt especially in neighbourhoods like La Barceloneta this year.

The increase in tourism in recent years has catapulted Barcelona into the top 10 favourite travel destinations. The Top 100 City Destinations ranking puts Barcelona sixth, after large urban areas like London, Paris, Rome, Prague and Milan. The Catalan capital currently has the third highest tourist density in number of overnight stays, surpassed only by Paris and Amsterdam.

According to the experts, tourism must be seen as an opportunity to share and gain wealth. Declarations from Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau highlight that the city must encourage tourism that is ‘sustainable and responsible, that generates quality employment and doesn’t have a focused impact on certain areas.’ When poorly managed, tourism can be bothersome to local residents in touristic cities, even leading to ‘tourist-phobia’, which can be seen among inhabitants when things are out of balance, when tourists invade the city space and limited resources must be shared. Faced with this situation, Turismo de Barcelona City Councillor Agustí Colom is firmly committed to minimising the impact the 30 million visitors Barcelona welcomes each year have on the city during this term.

In line with this topic, on 3 and 4 November, Barcelona will host a debate forum with other European cities to discuss how to manage tourism, coordinate strategies and seek out new ways to work together to make tourism a positive asset.