Vocabulary

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

 
A water fight on the streets of Barcelona. Some locals sprayed tourists with water guns as they ate at popular restaurants, sending visitors fleeing from the tables.

Thousands of protesters walked through the city over the weekend, chanting, “Tourists, go home,” and carrying signs with anti-tourist slogans.

Joan Navarro-Bertran, Barcelona Resident: “The restaurants and hotels are the groups that make big money — but all of the people are in a very poor situation. They do not have enough money to live.

That’s the problem.”

Reporter: “Barcelona is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, home to iconic sites like La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, in addition to beautiful beaches.

Official reports indicate that more than 33 million people from all over the world visited the city in the first five months of 2024 alone. Tourism brings in a whopping 9.6 billion euros, according to the Tourism Observatory of Barcelona.

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But some locals say mass tourism is not only overwhelming the city but also making the cost of living unaffordable for its residents.

Omar Encarnacion, Professor of Political Studies, Bard College: “I would stress a declining quality of life for local residents. That includes the increasing cost of housing, the noise, the litter, the displacement of long-term residents, and the relentless construction.”

Rent in Barcelona has risen nearly 70% in just the last decade, according to Mayor Jaume Collboni. In June, the mayor announced a plan to stop renewing permits for rentals used by foreign visitors by 2028, saying a boom in short-term rentals is to blame. The city ensures the move would make 10,000 apartment units available to locals in four years.”

Albert Valencia, Architect: “The last years have turned completely for tourists. And what we want is a city for citizens, not in service for tourists.”

A dilemma for a welcoming city to shift focus and take care of its own.

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Anchor: “Juan Vegas joining us from the Telemundo Center in Miami. So, Juan, people visiting Barcelona or planning to visit in the months ahead, could they expect to see more of these protests — and possibly be hit by these water guns?”

Juan Vegas, Reporter: “Well, Tom, for the people at those establishments, they were at the wrong place at the wrong time, right? There’s a lot of visitors in Barcelona. It was just unfortunate they were right there when the protesters came.

But this is a sign of that anti-tourism sentiment in Barcelona, which we expect to continue.

It’s not only a protest. There are signs around the city asking tourists to go home.

The city has already approved increasing the tourist tax from 3.25 euros to 4 euros. That’s a small increase, but it’s another sign that Barcelona wants to limit the number of people coming into the city.

In the future, we can expect Barcelona to become a much more expensive destination for tourists who do decide to go.

Things will change: a lot of people visit the city because it’s relatively welcoming, with people coming from all over the world.

That perhaps will change as local officials implement these new changes to make it much more difficult for those who want to visit and more affordable for those who live in Barcelona.

So all of this should be kept in mind when planning a trip to the city.”

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Questions

 
Barcelona. In Barcelona, local protesters attacked tourists with clubs and hurled stones at them. True or false?

Madrid. Does everyone in Barcelona despise mass tourism in their city?

Valencia. Is Barcelona a well-kept secret? Why do tourists flock to Barcelona?

Seville. Why are many residents fed up with overtourism?

Basque Region. The government will continue catering to tourists. Is this right or wrong?

Andalusia. Were all tourists in Barcelona squirted with water guns? Are they unaware of local sentiments toward mass tourism?

Majorca, Ibiza. In the future, will more tourists visit Barcelona?
 
 
 
Canary Islands. I am from Barcelona. I live in Barcelona. I have visited Barcelona. Yes or no?

Galicia. Is Barcelona and Spain in general an alluring place? Do you and your friends see Spain as a captivating, enthralling land?

Catalonia. Is there much tourism in your hometown or city? Where do visitors come from? What are some tourist attractions?

Gibraltar. Would you like more, fewer or the same about of tourists to visit your city and region?

Cordoba. Why is there mass tourism in certain places?

Malaga. What might happen in the future?

Granada. What could or should people, governments and businesses do?