Barcelona’s struggling with tourism. I went there to find out more.
Sitting crossed legged and sipping an espresso shot which I deemed quintessentially European, I sat waiting in the airport for my long weekend trip to Barcelona. I’d never been before. Waiting, I daydreamed about glorious sunny days spent winding my way through narrow sandstone alleys and staring in wonder at cavernous cathedrals. Barcelona, the hallowed destination of self-styled adventurers, laden with the heritage of European art and heritage. I had long anticipated the day that I could set my eyes on the crystal blue Mediterranean and wander the ancient Catalan capital as travellers before had done for centuries.
Periodically interrupting my blissful dreaming, and subsequently throughout my trip, I thought about the news stories I’d read. Barcelona natives bringing water guns to the streets, protesting the dire influx of tourists that have swamped their city this summer. Chanting in the streets, people roared that we should all leave and stop taking up all of the affordable rentals. For them, a toxic combination of obnoxious tourists at the height of the revenge travel post-pandemic era and AirBnB convenience was choking the life out of their city and making it too expensive to live.
Mostly, I sat in the airport giddy with anticipation. But I did wonder: how bad could we tourists (the problem) really be?
I’m a big walker. When I go to a new city, I’m walking everywhere. When Google Maps says the Art Gallery is an hour away by foot, that sounds great to me. I like to imagine that walking all over the place gives me some insight into the real life of the city and a feel for its rhythm. the rustling trees on wide roads, the relaxed Catalans minding their shops, the juxtaposition between the modernist sculptures and the old sandstone buildings. In light of recent news articles, there was one observation that plagued me: all the hospitality and gift shops.
They were everywhere. One after another, they dominate the shops fronts of the city, seeming all devoted to serving tourists. Gift shops are everywhere in most major European cities (you know know the ones with the tacky too on-brand souvenirs). I think we can all be grateful for constant access to a nearby cafe, but what really struck me was the lack of much else. Were there other shops? Sure, the usual city stuff… but just less of it. Fewer workshops or office buildings but a seemingly unnecessary number of small grocers, cafes, and gift shops. It was really an illustration of what the economists in the news had described — an inflated service economy centred on mass tourism at the cost of other developing industries. And, crucially, at the cost of better paying jobs for the city’s residents.
Despite what I’d read about the protests, I found the people of Barcelona to be nothing but welcoming and friendly to me. I wasn’t held up at water gunpoint. They made no face at my complete lack of any Spanish vocabulary. To most of them, I was probably just another white guy overpaying for coffee and sweating a lot in the heat. For me, watching them, I was enchanted with how they luxuriated in the evening shade and reveled in slightly nonchalant conversation while maintaining sloth-like poise enjoying a drink or cigarette slowly, deeply.
However, I must confess, other than a brief evening interlude or upon stumbling into the right neighbourhood, I found myself constantly surrounded by tourists. As had been foretold, we seemed to have swamped the city. And clearly, it has been a problem.
All over the city there are signs imploring tourists in English (and French but mostly English) to show some respect to the city in which they are a guest. At the beach: “you don’t bury rubbish at your house, please don’t do it at the beach” or street signs about not making a huge racket in the street at 3am.
Clearly, tourism is presenting a problem for Barcelona, and other cities like Venice or Milan are experiencing the same issues. I understand why the people of Barcelona would resent tourists. As a recent tourist and admirer of that beautiful ancient city, I must confess some bias in that I want to keep coming back. I want the people of Barcelona and other tourist hotspots to welcome me to their city, or at least not feel the need to protest my presence. And, my impression is mostly they do, given that I still behave like a decent person and not tear up the place — pretty standard house party rules.
I also appreciate the swarms of tourists flocking to Barcelona causes structural economic issues for the city. So, I’d like to propose, to the city of Barcelona, a rather elegant economic solution to combat this: tax the shit of ‘em.
To be clear, Barcelona is already doing its best to make money off us tourists. Almost every notable church and park requires a paid ticket. You’re looking at a good €45 to go inside the Sagrada Familia. Good for them, but Barcelona needs to really know it’s worth — and it’s worth more. Every shop in the city is selling sunscreen bottles at €15 a pop! Those shop owners know they can fleece a pale white guy like me with a huge markup; preventing sunburn is worth it. Barcelona needs to emulate that entrepreneurial attitude. The tourist tax is 6.05 Euros per night. It’s Barcelona! Mark up the price. The people will still come.
This year, Venice started charging people €5 per night to visit the city. Some thought it would slow down tourism. They were wrong. It’s fucking Venice. People will pay a higher fee than that to explore an ancient, beautiful city. Hell, most tourists have already paid hundreds, if not thousands, to fly to and stay in the city. What’s a little more? The Barcelona experience™ is what economists call a ‘Price Inelastic Good;’ meaning that raising the price won’t really decrease the demand — that’s what Venice found out.
I think a high tourist tax is fair for both sides. Barcelona offers an amazing experience and a welcome stay that tourists should be willing to pay the price for. That money can be used by the city for investment in public services and non-tourist enterprises that compensate the city’s residents for their hospitality (We tourists still have to not behave like dicks! It’s 3am and people are sleeping, bro stfu). On the other hand, the city’s residents can’t place their woes at the feet of tourists who pay their share to the city for its accommodation. But, again, it’s just common decency that we, tourists put our rubbish in the bin! It’s not that hard.
