Stories

Sun, 07 Jun 2026

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 Spain's visitor numbers hit new highs as tourists avoid Middle East

The European country had 9.1 million international visitors in April, the most ever for that month.
1. Overcrowding: The large number of tourists has put a strain on local infrastructure, leading to overcrowding in popular areas. 2. Rising housing costs: The proliferation of short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, has driven up housing costs and displaced locals from their homes. 3. Negative impact on local residents: Tourists can be noisy, litter, and disrupt the daily lives of locals. To address these issues, the Spanish government has implemented measures such as: 1. Restricting tourist permits: Local governments are restricting the granting of permits for short-term rentals to prevent overcrowding. 2. Revoking licenses: Barcelona has announced plans to revoke the licenses of all its 10,000 short-term apartments by 2028. 3. Increasing taxes: Some cities have introduced higher taxes on tourists, such as Barcelona's plan to double the city's tourist tax. However, these measures have not been effective in reducing the number of tourists, and some experts argue that they may even have unintended consequences, such as driving up prices and reducing competition. The article also highlights the concerns of local residents and activists, who feel that tourism has become a major issue in their cities. They are demanding more action from the government to address these problems. Some key quotes from the article include:
* "We say we are the industry of happiness," said Fede Fuster, president of the Exceltur tourism association. "But we also have to realise that we impact the normal life of citizens."
* "The way we welcome people and we care about them and our happiness, the way we live, I think that's something the tourist really appreciates – that's the key," said Fuster.
* "We have measures that try to alleviate the impact that tourism has and that try to distribute tourists in cities in a different way," said Professor Federico Sánchez of the University of Barcelona. "But we still haven't seen a single measure that is effective in reducing the number of tourists." Overall, the article highlights the complex issues surrounding tourism in Spanish cities and the need for more effective solutions to address these problems.