15 years of tourism in Barcelona: how it has attracted talent and captivated the world

In October 2010, fifteen years ago, Barcelona approved the city's first strategic tourism plan. It was a pioneering document that highlighted the need to better distribute visitor flows, prevent overcrowding in certain areas, and ensure that tourism activity translated into a higher quality of life for residents. At that time, Barcelona already held a prominent place on the global map of urban destinations: the number of visitors was growing year after year, the port received almost two million cruise passengers annually, and the cultural offerings were expanding with leading festivals and large-scale exhibitions. But it soon became clear that the challenge was not simply to grow more, but to grow better.

In 2024, this commitment translated into the approval of the Government Measure for Tourism Management 2024-2027, endowed with almost €258 million. The plan places the well-being of residents at the heart of the strategy and consolidates a model based on balance, quality, and return on investment. Barcelona has focused its efforts on making tourism a useful, sustainable activity that is compatible with daily life. But exactly where has the city's model progressed over the last fifteen years?

The new tourism model

Over the past fifteen years, Barcelona has implemented a series of measures to regulate tourism and make it more compatible with everyday life. One of the most notable is the Special Urban Development Plan for Tourist Accommodation (PEUAT), in effect since 2017, which establishes where new hotels, hostels, and tourist apartments can and cannot be opened. This instrument has aimed to prevent the concentration of accommodations in particularly strained neighborhoods and has curbed the expansion of new accommodations in saturated areas. This control is complemented by the fight against illegal tourist apartments and initiatives to limit guided tours and regulate the circulation of tourist buses and personal mobility vehicles in sensitive areas.

Another key tool is the Management Plan for Areas of High Tourist Influx (EGA), deployed from 2023 onwards. The plan identifies 16 particularly visited areas - such as the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell or the Rambla de Catalunya - and applies specific measures to manage flows, reduce pressure and minimize impacts on public space.

These tools have been complemented by other significant measures that have made Barcelona a pioneering city in tourism regulation. One of the most ambitious was the announcement to cease operations in the 10,292 registered tourist apartments, with the aim of reclaiming housing for local residents and ensuring a more sustainable urban model.

Specific measures have also been taken in areas such as cruises and group tourism. At the Port of Barcelona, ​​the number of terminals is slated to be reduced from seven to five to minimize environmental impact and alleviate overcrowding. In Ciutat Vella (the Old City), the maximum number of people per guided tour group has been limited to 20, and the use of loudspeakers by tour guides has been prohibited. Finally, the funding system has also been strengthened with a municipal surcharge on the tourist tax, ranging from €5 to €7.50 per person per night. Through this mechanism, between 2014 and 2024, Barcelona raised €315 million, which has been allocated to improving services such as cleaning, security, transportation, and housing. Fifteen years later, tourism remains a key asset for Barcelona, ​​but now it is more substantial, more sustainable, and fosters a stronger sense of community.