Tourism contributes about 13% of Barcelona's GDP, slightly less than before the pandemic

BarcelonaThe tourist season hasn't even started yet, but economic actors are already preparing for it. Following the call from the Circle of Economy to open a debate on a "stale" mass tourism model, the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce is clarifying the sector's importance to the economy.

Tourists contributed approximately 13% of Barcelona's GDP, according to 2023 data, the latest available. This is one of the initial findings of the Urban Economy Observatory, recently launched by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce. This contribution to the economy has been significantly impacted by the crisis caused by the pandemic, which severely affected tourism activity. Compared to 2019, the proportion has decreased from 14.1% before the outbreak of COVID-19. "Tourism doesn't reach 13% of GDP. Barcelona is not a tourist city; it's a city with tourism that shares its profitability with local businesses," stated Jordi Clos, president of the executive committee of Barcelona Tourism and the Barcelona Hotel Association. A drop in the contribution to GDP coincides with the strong performance of the Barcelona economy in recent years, as is the case throughout Spain, with faster growth that is helping to reduce the contribution of sectors such as tourism. However, this slight slowdown is hardly noticeable on the streets of the Catalan capital and the main tourist towns, which have seen years of record visitor numbers. with more than 20 million foreign touriststhat were recorded in 2025.

A discussion about the economic contribution that cannot ignore the consequences for residents. "It's important that we talk about overtourism," argued the Deputy Mayor for Economy of Barcelona City Council, Jordi Valls, who cited as an example the overcrowding experienced by residents in certain neighborhoods or on certain bus lines. "We have to listen to them," he emphasized.

More or less productivity?

Along these lines is also the Circle of Economy, which points out that salaries in the sector are 32% lower than the average and that family income is lower in sun and beach resorts. The organization, through itsProductivity and Innovation Initiative (IPI)The report points out that this sector, strategic for the Catalan economy, is harming its productivity and calls for a change in the situation. The Barcelona Chamber of Commerce disagrees: "It contributes no less to productivity than other sectors," its president, Josep Santacreu, asserted. According to data from the report prepared by the Chamber, tourism productivity is quite similar to that of the city, with figures of €74,700 per person employed in tourism and €74,400 per person employed overall. "Tourism contributes, and it contributes a lot," Santacreu insisted. It contributes in sectors beyond hotels, which retain one out of every five euros spent, while the rest goes to others such as restaurants and transportation. But it also contributes to the city's employment, with 165,000 employees representing 13.5% of the workforce in Barcelona.