A name to downsize cruise port infrastructure in Barcelona has elicited a robust protection of the cruise business by the Port of Barcelona director common. Jose Alberto Carbonell doesn’t deny Barcelona feels the impacts of vacationer overcrowding. Nonetheless, the cruise business will not be the principle downside.
“Cruises characterize 5% of tourism in Barcelona. With this I’m not denying an issue, however they’re solely 5% and so they should be 5% of the answer.” Greater than 15 million visited Barcelona final 12 months and a couple of.79 million arrived by cruise ship.
Metropolis Needs to Minimize the Variety of Cruise Terminals
Final week, the Barcelona council knowledgeable port officers of its intention to cut back the variety of cruise terminals from seven to 5. It isn’t the primary time it has made such a request. In 2018, the Barcelona council and the port authorities reached an settlement to chop the variety of cruise terminals from 9 to seven.
Carbonell mentioned port authorities had been open to talks with the council. It comes simply days after the primary ship referred to as at MSC Cruises’ new Barcelona cruise terminal. It’s set to be formally inaugurated within the coming months.
Metropolis officers should not solely focusing on the cruise business to fight vacationer overcrowding. The council needs to ban 10,000 flats virtually completely rented for the quick time period to visiting vacationers. It says this has pushed up property rental costs, forcing many locals to maneuver out of town.
The council is taking motion partially on account of native sentiment which has soured on tourism lately. Town has seen anti-tourist protests numbering a number of thousand folks.
Cruise Strains Worldwide Affiliation Europe has cited Barcelona as one vacation spot cruise traces might take into account avoiding as a result of degree of anti-tourist feeling.
“There will likely be some consideration of adapting itineraries if we really feel that each one passengers won’t be well-treated. The scenes which were seen in locations like Barcelona have an effect on the repute of the vacation spot,” mentioned CLIA Europe director, Marie-Caroline Laurent.
