THE Spain attracted record numbers of tourists last year as it vied to steal its title of France as the world’s leading tourist destination – but the influx of visitors provokes angry outbursts of “touritophobia”.
The Iberian country recorded an increase of 13 million in 2023, bringing the number of international visitors to a new record of more than 85 million – almost double its population – according to the ranking of the tourism agency of United Nations.
Spain overtook the United States to become the second most visited country in the world in 2017 and has since been trying to catch up with France. The French government touts its position as “the world’s leading tourist destination” and arrivals increased from 7 million to 100 million last year.
The rise of tourism
Spain’s tourism boom is an economic boost for the country, where tourism accounts for 12 to 13 percent of GDP, but it is also a headache for the government, triggering backlash and a sense of saturation among some Spaniards .
In busy areas from the Canary Islands to the Basque Country, the influx of visitors is causing what is called “touritophobia” by locals outraged by problems such as unsightly new resorts, soaring rental prices, bad behavior and excessive use. some water.
The reaction
In response, local governments are imposing measures such as tourist taxes, bans on new vacation rentals, and strict regulations on Airbnb-style rental apartments.
Beach tourism remains Spain’s main draw, and concern over the war in the Middle East has brought travelers who would otherwise go to “countries that are becoming competitors, such as Turkey, Tunisia and the Egypt,” said Pablo Díaz Luque, professor of economics at the Open University of Catalonia.
Jordi Hereu, Spain’s Minister of Tourism and Industry, said 2023 was an “undeniable success” for the country and had generated 108 billion euros in foreign spending. “But we must not be complacent,” he said. “We still have a lot of work to do, we have room for improvement.”
The Canary Islands became the center of a backlash against tourism last month, with tens of thousands of residents taking to the streets to protest under the slogan “The Canary Islands are being sold”.
The Balearic Islands have tightened the law aimed at limiting excessive alcohol consumption and the Mallorcan government is reducing the number of tourist beds on the island by 18,000, or 4% of the total. San Sebastian has decided that tourist groups cannot exceed 25 people in order to reduce congestion on sidewalks.
Water consumption limits
In Catalonia, the regional government imposed limits on hotel water consumption for the first time. And in its capital, Barcelona, new socialist mayor Jaume Collboni said the city was at its limits and promised to remove tourist apartments from the old town.
The drought in Spain pits tourists against locals in competition for water. Hereu said Spain prioritizes “quality” tourism over quantity, meaning the sector must become sustainable from an economic, environmental and social point of view. “Citizens are an essential part of tourism,” he said, adding that “we must listen to their requests, wherever they come from, because without citizens there are no tourist destinations.”
International reputation
Juan Ignacio Pulido, professor of tourism economics at the University of Jaén, said Spain’s growing international reputation as a culinary center is attracting more foodies, while cultural tourists come for the galleries, museums and the historic buildings of its cities.
The British make up the largest group of visitors to Spain, followed by the French and Germans.
However, Pulido said Spain still has a way to go to achieve France’s diversity of attractions.
Paris remains the main attraction and organizers of this summer’s Olympic Games in the city expect the event to attract 15 million people. However, France has also “developed a very interesting agrotourism model that Spain has not yet been able to achieve,” Pulido said.