Barcelona eighth in ‘World’s Best Cities’ ranking
October 1 violence and “excessive tourism” also mentioned in consultancy’s report
Barcelona has been rated eighth best city in the world by the ranking ‘World’s Best Cities’, just ahead of San Francisco and behind Dubai.
The evaluation was carried out by the global consulting firm Resonance Consultancy, taking into account cities’ quality of life, reputation and competitive identity, and calls the ranking the most “comprehensive city ranking on the planet.”
London came in at number one on the list compiled for 2018, followed by New York and then Paris. Moscow, Tokyo, and Singapore made fourth, fifth, and sixth place. Chicago came in tenth place.
The defiant Catalan capital
The conultant’s referred to Barcelona as the “defiant Catalan capital, an eclectic mix of beach, architecture and boho vibes.”
The authors described it as “an almost ideal European city,” in Catalonia, “an autonomous region in Spain with a history of attempted secession.” The report also briefly touched on “events in October, and an “attempt to leave” Spain, resulting in “police violence that flashed across screens globally,” thus demonstrating how the city “marches to its own beat.”
“Don’t be surprised to hear locals speaking Catalan as you walk along the narrow lanes of Barri Gòtic, Europe’s largest Gothic quarter and the heart of Barcelona,” the report adds.
“Combat excessive tourism”
Although stating that tourism “may be vital to the city’s economy,” the report also pointed out how Barcelona residents have been taking to the streets in protest against “gentrification and rising prices due to the escalating number of tourists.”
It also goes on to talk about mayor Ada Colau’s plans to “combat excessive tourism” with its introduction of the Strategic Tourism Plan 2020, highlighting how the plan aims to curtail practicess that negatively affect locals, such as “real estate investors who snatch up apartments to rent them on AirBnB, thus driving up prices.”