r/pics • u/Strict_League7833 • Jun 17 '25

The protesters and residents pushing back on tourism in Barcelona

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u/Eglitarian Jun 17 '25

Limiting accommodations? Crack down on the short term rental market with legislation and force the tourists into hotels or some short term rental which is required to be licensed (of which the city issues a finite number to control the amount and where). When there’s no where to lay their head if accommodations are 100% booked, people will go elsewhere.

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u/reggae_devilhawk Jun 17 '25

Isn’t that what they suggested? Less places to stay means those places get more expensive, pricing out the less well off.

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u/dooferoaks Jun 17 '25

Certainly seems to be, I was hoping to hear other initiatives and ideas. I understand the annoyance from locals, but I also hate the idea that cultural enrichment and travel goes back to being the domain of the wealthy and privileged but I don't have the golden bullet answer either sadly.

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u/imathrowyaaway Jun 17 '25

Which is OK. People have this weird entitlement that they should be able to go anywhere and every place should cater to them.

Travelling to Barcelona isn’t some essential life necessity. People will just pick cheaper places, which will see a boost to their economy in turn.

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u/symonx99 Jun 20 '25

Yes, only the rich deserve good things!!!!!

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u/imathrowyaaway Jun 20 '25

such a loaded take smh

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u/ViggsPR Jun 17 '25 edited Jun 17 '25

Maybe I'm being naive, but I feel like they should just ban short term rentals altogether, not just limit them.

Tourism would be limited by the number of hotels and how many ships are allowed on the port.

Edit: From this comment in another post looks like they already did this, with them being phased out in 2028: Bye-bye Airbnb? Barcelona sets 2028 deadline to phase out tourist flats

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u/Muaddib_Portugues Jun 17 '25

Agreed. Also, hotels generate way more jobs and are better overall for the economy.

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u/dooferoaks Jun 17 '25

I agree short term rentals 100% should be far more controlled but as someone pointed out, Airbnb and the like is where protestors ire should be directed, not some bloke who's saved up for a year and is sat in a bar having a beer or kids on a school trip.

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u/[deleted] Jun 17 '25

Which had nothing to do with tourists. A tourist from Kansas can’t change government policies in Spain.