The Barcelona model for management: fewer tourists, more distributed, and with greater positive impact

In October 2010, almost fifteen years ago, Barcelona launched its first strategic tourism plan. It outlined what Barcelona's tourism landscape should look like in the coming decades. It addressed the contribution of tourism to improving the quality of life and social cohesion of its citizens; avoiding the concentration of visitors in certain areas of the capital; and a commitment to environmental sustainability and service excellence. The text, which included a list of actions to be implemented, represented a firm commitment by Barcelona to regulate tourism and ensure its positive impact on the city. It was one of the first major tourist destinations in the world to take this step forward. Since then, the city has implemented pioneering strategies that are now bearing fruit.

The latest was approved a few months ago. It is the Government Measure for Tourism Management in Barcelona 2024-2027 and has a budget of almost €258 million. The objective of the document is very clear: to continue prioritizing the management of tourism activity to improve the balance with the daily lives of residents and position Barcelona as a benchmark in the management, planning, financing, and social return of tourism activity. The strategy to maintain the balance between tourism activity and residents' quality of life involves reducing the number of visitors and increasing the quality of life of those who arrive.

In other words, promoting and preserving Barcelona's unique identity to welcome a tourism industry more aligned with society's values and culture. Now, these pioneering measures are beginning to yield results. One indicator that corroborates this is the decline in tourists: in 2023, 12% fewer arrived than in 2019, the last year before the pandemic.

Figures aside, there's a very visual element that certifies Barcelona's shift in mindset toward tourism management. The traditional slogan "Visit Barcelona" is no longer used, in line with the city's values and identity. But what actions has Barcelona implemented to get on the right track?

Key measures

Barcelona City Council has historically been a pioneer in regulating tourism. This is demonstrated by measures implemented in the city, such as the Special Urban Plan for Tourist Accommodation (PEUAT), the fight against illegal accommodation, the regulation of personal mobility vehicles and tourist buses, and the Ciutat Vella decrees limiting group guides, among other measures.

However, one of the latest steps has been the Management Plan for High-Tourism Areas (EGA), which was rolled out last summer. Sixteen areas and a series of dozens of specific proposals have been defined to regulate the flow of visitors and their impact. The plan's objective is to minimize the negative externalities that tourism can generate at certain times and, at the same time, ensure that tourism remains a success story in the city of Barcelona, ​​bringing richness and dynamism. Work is already underway at the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and Rambla de Catalunya.