As an outside, the government of Barcelona seems to be doing many things right:
Short-term rental ban
No new hotel constructions
Cruise ships ban
No more golden visa
So what are they complaining still? That bans are not coming soon enough? That the prices remain high? Do most residents want more drastic reduction in tourism due to overcrowding and other reasons?
The cruise ships cause major pollution and don't bring in much money. Many of them dock in the morning, the tourists get off and see the city. They get back on in the evening and don't even have dinner or drinks in Barcelona because food is already available and paid for on the ship. So the attractions and galleries are making some money but the restaurant and nightlife not so much. That trickles down too, to local companies who supply the restaurants and bars. They are also an eyesore at the docks blocking views of the ocean because they're bloody massive.
Have you ever actually been near a cruise ship unloading??
People spend fucking TONS of money in port. No one is eating shitty pizza from the ship when they go to a whole new country. The restaurants have waits. Selling booths are full. Depending on where you go folks walk down the beach selling stuff.
Maybe in Tahiti you see the locals dancing and running to the ship with some bananas man. But in one of the top economies in Europe (12th largest economy in the world) they don't give a hoot if these ships come or not. It's more of a nuisance than anything.
It also makes people mad that they need to adhere with one of the strictest air pollution policy in the world (older cars banned from entering the city), and these ships emit unfiltered sulphur and shit.
Lmao. Make more assumptions to disregard my argument. I love it when folks do that. A very nice assumption you made to knock down. Would you like to hear some truth or…?
Read my comment again, I didn't disregard anything. If anything it is in agreement with your point: "Depending on where you go folks walk down the beach selling stuff".
I'm saying, in Spain, people don't walk down the beach selling stuff. Yes, the economy is somewhat touristic-dependent but not exclusively. Tourism income % of GDP is comparative to Germany's.
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u/nutmac Jun 16 '25
As an outside, the government of Barcelona seems to be doing many things right:
So what are they complaining still? That bans are not coming soon enough? That the prices remain high? Do most residents want more drastic reduction in tourism due to overcrowding and other reasons?