4 ms·

I'm staying longer term in BCN for a month and a half and accidentally ended up at an outdoor concert last night before realizing that it was protesting tourist

I'm staying longer term in BCN for a month and a half and accidentally ended up at an outdoor concert last night before realizing that it was protesting tourists. "Tourism kills the city" was the slogan on the signs around the area. In 2 weeks, I've seen at least 2 demonstrations like this and it seems to be picking up from previous years that I've been here. Things are a little more crowded and I feel like every day there's a bachelor / bachelorette party running around - the density of which reminds me of vegas. I like to think that I blend in more than most tourists - the ones you see in groups of 8 with 2-3 roller bags each fumbling for the keys and trying to make sure they find the right building - but I'm probably biased. I'm not sure what BCN's solution will be. Tourism is 12-15% of their economy in Catalonia, so it's not a small chunk for a country with 20% unemployment rate. The hotel options aren't great for what you pay for. AirBnB is definitely cheaper (and usually roomier), but it's a difference when you notice that all your neighbors in "old town" are german / british tourists that pop in for a weekend and then leave. Barcelona does have an ordinance that you can only rent rooms for longer than 30 days - so they have people that come around on occasion to check - but I think it's sort of hit & miss enforcement. I'm not sure I have answers as much as questions - and it's interesting being on the ground zero and seeing this take place.

EugeneOZ 10y ago
Catalonia is not only Barcelona. In Barcelona tourism is about third of city's income, so protests like this are ridiculous. Noisy tourists are usually in hotels/hostels. And I have to say locals sometimes are more noisy than tourists.
- philipDS 10y ago
  I've been living in Barcelona on/off since 2013. I don't have a problem with the tourists. I do have a problem with drunk tourists who pee and shout in the streets at night. Very disrespectful. I completely understand the protests.. Tourists are a real pain in Barcelona, especially in El Born/Raval/around La Rambla.
  - EugeneOZ 10y ago
    But when dogs pee on every street every day and night - it's ok :) As for tourist, dogs urine is the biggest disadvantage of this awesome city. I don't like drunk tourists either but if "tourists is a pain" for Barcelona - I will visit other cities, despite my huge love to Barcelona.
    - matthewmacleod 10y ago
      I don't think the urine itself is the problem so much as the loutishness and disrespect. If oh are visiting someone's country, be respectful and polite. That usually includes not peeing on things :)
      - EugeneOZ 10y ago
        Trust me, I never did it :) I agree with your statement, but I also think there should be either police (guardia urbana?) taking care of drunk tourists, or just close hotels and don't invite tourists. Otherwise it looks like one part of citizens is happy to take tourists money, and other just hate them - not fair to tourists. And I need to mention I've never seen disrespectful or hateful locals in Barcelona - almost every local citizen I met was kind and polite, even if our talk was possible only with Google Translate.
  - hyperbovine 10y ago
    Brexit is going to do wonders for la rambla.
    - collyw 10y ago
      I doubt it will affect it much at all.
  - rorykoehler 10y ago
    Let me rephrase that for you: I have a problem with people who pee and shout in the streets. Surely this is covered by some law which should be enforced with greater severity?
- RobertoG 10y ago
  " In Barcelona tourism is about third of city's income, so protests like this are ridiculous. " I think that the debate in Barcelona (and other cities) is a little more sophisticate of what your are implying. There is a balance somewhere that cities have to find and this is what they are trying to do. Another consideration is that excessive tourism will kill what makes the city interesting.
  - EugeneOZ 10y ago
    I'm not trying to say it's simple issue. But if you hate tourists - don't invite them to take their money. If money of tourists are interesting - use police to control drunk tourists and don't call all tourists "pain". After 2 visits to Barcelona and about $15k spent there, I feel cheated if I was actually not welcomed there.
    - RobertoG 10y ago
      It's seem to me that this exactly what you are saying. It seems to me that you are demanding an homogeneous opinion from a few millions of people.
    - Symbiote 10y ago
      Being appreciated only for my money is most unwelcoming. Also, tourists starting in AirBnB haven't been invited by the city -- they're outside the planned hotel capacity.
      - EugeneOZ 10y ago
        I was in hotels, not Airbnb. Now please expand your idea.
hyperbovine 10y ago
Take it with a grain of salt: the Catalans will find any excuse to protest. I've lived all over the world and nothing even comes close to the number of street demonstrations I witnessed during my time in Barcelona.
- RobertoG 10y ago
  Maybe it was the time you choose to be in Barcelona what was different, not the Catalan people?
  - hyperbovine 10y ago
    Potser.
- kafkaesq 10y ago
  Take it with a grain of salt: the Catalans will find any excuse to protest. It's called having a backbone, and not just rolling over for whatever number the system and/or occupying power wants to pull on you.
- Apocryphon 10y ago
  Have you lived in South Korea? They've also got a very strong protest culture for a first world nation.
  - droidist2 10y ago
    They really do http://youtube.com/watch?v=cl4-StMGYAw http://youtube.com/watch?v=cl4-StMGYAw

EugeneOZ 10y ago

Catalonia is not only Barcelona. In Barcelona tourism is about third of city's income, so protests like this are ridiculous. Noisy tourists are usually in hotels/hostels. And I have to say locals sometimes are more noisy than tourists.

philipDS 10y ago
I've been living in Barcelona on/off since 2013. I don't have a problem with the tourists. I do have a problem with drunk tourists who pee and shout in the streets at night. Very disrespectful. I completely understand the protests.. Tourists are a real pain in Barcelona, especially in El Born/Raval/around La Rambla.
- EugeneOZ 10y ago
  But when dogs pee on every street every day and night - it's ok :) As for tourist, dogs urine is the biggest disadvantage of this awesome city. I don't like drunk tourists either but if "tourists is a pain" for Barcelona - I will visit other cities, despite my huge love to Barcelona.
  - matthewmacleod 10y ago
    I don't think the urine itself is the problem so much as the loutishness and disrespect. If oh are visiting someone's country, be respectful and polite. That usually includes not peeing on things :)
    - EugeneOZ 10y ago
      Trust me, I never did it :) I agree with your statement, but I also think there should be either police (guardia urbana?) taking care of drunk tourists, or just close hotels and don't invite tourists. Otherwise it looks like one part of citizens is happy to take tourists money, and other just hate them - not fair to tourists. And I need to mention I've never seen disrespectful or hateful locals in Barcelona - almost every local citizen I met was kind and polite, even if our talk was possible only with Google Translate.
- hyperbovine 10y ago
  Brexit is going to do wonders for la rambla.
  - collyw 10y ago
    I doubt it will affect it much at all.
- rorykoehler 10y ago
  Let me rephrase that for you: I have a problem with people who pee and shout in the streets. Surely this is covered by some law which should be enforced with greater severity?
RobertoG 10y ago
" In Barcelona tourism is about third of city's income, so protests like this are ridiculous. " I think that the debate in Barcelona (and other cities) is a little more sophisticate of what your are implying. There is a balance somewhere that cities have to find and this is what they are trying to do. Another consideration is that excessive tourism will kill what makes the city interesting.
- EugeneOZ 10y ago
  I'm not trying to say it's simple issue. But if you hate tourists - don't invite them to take their money. If money of tourists are interesting - use police to control drunk tourists and don't call all tourists "pain". After 2 visits to Barcelona and about $15k spent there, I feel cheated if I was actually not welcomed there.
  - RobertoG 10y ago
    It's seem to me that this exactly what you are saying. It seems to me that you are demanding an homogeneous opinion from a few millions of people.
  - Symbiote 10y ago
    Being appreciated only for my money is most unwelcoming. Also, tourists starting in AirBnB haven't been invited by the city -- they're outside the planned hotel capacity.
    - EugeneOZ 10y ago
      I was in hotels, not Airbnb. Now please expand your idea.

hyperbovine 10y ago

Take it with a grain of salt: the Catalans will find any excuse to protest. I've lived all over the world and nothing even comes close to the number of street demonstrations I witnessed during my time in Barcelona.

RobertoG 10y ago
Maybe it was the time you choose to be in Barcelona what was different, not the Catalan people?
- hyperbovine 10y ago
  Potser.
kafkaesq 10y ago
Take it with a grain of salt: the Catalans will find any excuse to protest. It's called having a backbone, and not just rolling over for whatever number the system and/or occupying power wants to pull on you.
Apocryphon 10y ago
Have you lived in South Korea? They've also got a very strong protest culture for a first world nation.
- droidist2 10y ago
  They really do http://youtube.com/watch?v=cl4-StMGYAw http://youtube.com/watch?v=cl4-StMGYAw