Barcelona Welcomes Tourists: Only the Upscale Need Apply

MADRID – Barcelona aims to attract upmarket tourists over drunken, rowdy groups, but Britons should not be put off from visiting, the city’s tourism chief has said.

Matéo Hernández, who leads Barcelona Turisme—the organization overseeing the city’s tourism through a mix of public and private sectors—mentioned they were looking to book all 23,000 spots across the city’s four- and five-star hotels. It's worth noting these accommodations account for under one-fourth of the total 81,000 hotel beds available throughout Barcelona.

Barcelona, which last year attracted 15 million tourists, is working with Virtuoso, a luxury travel company, to make the city attractive for upmarket travellers.

Mr Hernández said drunken or brawling holidaymakers who come to Barcelona to make trouble were not welcome.

“I mean we want to leave behind the people who come to do things they can’t do in their own countries,” he told The i Paper ." Getting intoxicated outdoors, throwing up, causing disturbances for neighbors, picking fights, participating in unlawful acts—well, none of these things—are allowed in Barcelona."

Mr Hernández emphasized that the city aimed for "high-quality tourism".

"This isn't about the cost; it's about determining your intentions as a tourist. Quality tourism doesn't hinge on who the visitors are or how much money they're willing to spend, but instead depends on their activities," he stated.

He mentioned that if young individuals visit and reside in hostels but wish to appreciate Barcelona’s art, music, or architectural scenes, they are more than welcome.

“If these young people who come to see [the] Primavera Sound [music festival] or Coldplay, [or to electronic music festival] Sonar, or to see an exhibition or to enjoy the architecture or they are architecture students who want to enjoy Gaudi, these are very high-quality tourists,” he added.

A few weeks ago, demonstrators armed with water guns organized a minor protest, targeting an sightseeing bus near Gaudí’s well-known incomplete Basilica of the Sacred Family. The protestors squirted at the tourists inside the vehicle.

This echoed the incident from last July where demonstrators doused tourists during a protest against mass tourism, drawing global media attention.

Further protests are scheduled for next month in the city as part of synchronized events across Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal aimed at voicing opposition to widespread tourist traffic.

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Mr Hernández stated that even with the protests, British vacationers shouldn’t be concerned.

"Don’t fret — if all you wish for is to experience the Barcelona we provide, you’ll find yourself warmly received. However, should your intention be engaging in activities forbidden back home, not only will the folks of Barcelona extend an unwelcome hand, but neither will the local authorities look kindly upon you," he stated.

He highlighted that regular surveys conducted by Barcelona Turisme among visitors revealed they perceived the city and its residents as friendly.

What visitors to Barcelona share with us through our meticulously conducted weekly surveys consistently indicates that they score the hospitality offered by the city’s inhabitants as 8.5 out of 10," he noted. "This rating, typically outstanding, hasn’t shifted over the years.

Thus, the genuine encounter - rather than the mediated experience - for one of the visitors reaching us involves an exceptionally high level of contentment with the warm reception they get.

Mr Hernández maintained that Barcelona is a secure destination for tourists.

"It's an entirely secure and hospitable city, filled with residents who cherish it just as they would their own surroundings," he stated.

Mr Hernández stated his opposition to "touristic transformation" of the city and emphasized that authorities in Barcelona have taken greater measures compared to any other Spanish city to restrict the development of cruise ship ports. He also mentioned that they have already set limitations on holiday apartments for tourists and plan to eliminate all 10,000 of these accommodations by 2028.