86% of residents in Pyrenees and rural western Catalonia consider tourism to be positive

More than 86% of residents in the mountainous Pyrenees and the western Terres de Lleida area consider tourism to have a positive impact. This is the highest percentage in Catalonia, where the average stands at 77.4%. 

The findings are based on a report prepared by the Social Studies and Public Opinion Bureau for the Lleida Provincial Council’s Tourism Board, which used data from the Catalan government’s surveys from 2023 and 2025. 

Meanwhile, around a third of the population (32.9%) believe that the limit for absorbing tourists is being reached, while just under half (44.2%) feel that tourism restricts activities and the use of public space. 

"This is an approach to understanding the local population’s perception of our tourism sector,” said Juan Antonio Serrano, the board’s vice-president. 

The board’s goal is to “maintain active listening, ensuring that the residents’ perspective is incorporated into decision-making processes,” said Serrano.

Furthermore, he emphasized that the data “demonstrates that the Lleida counties are successfully implementing a sound model for destination promotion and effective management of tourism resources.” 

According to the report, 81.9% of respondents in the counties of Lleida indicate that tourism should continue to be promoted, while 74.1% suggest that their county should attract more visitors.

Pyrenees area, most exposed to tourism 

The study confirms that the Pyrenees is the area of ​​Catalonia most exposed to tourism, with 2,014 visitors for every 100 inhabitants and 105 accommodation spaces for every 100 private dwellings.

The vice-president noted that “tourism accounts for approximately 12% of the Gross Domestic Product of the Lleida province and is the primary economic activity in some of our counties.” 

"The board’s objective is to make Lleida the best place to live, both now and in the future," Serrano said. "To achieve this, we must ensure opportunities for the local population, work toward the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of our sector, and continue to strengthen the tourism model we are striving for.”

 

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