Barcelona deputy mayor says recent growth in tourism 'not sustainable'
Priority is to "reduce the negative effects and redistribute the benefits," Jordi Valls says
The tourism "growth rates of recent years are not sustainable," according to Jordi Valls, one of Barcelona City Council's deputy mayors.
Valls, who is responsible for economy, finance, and economic and tourism promotion at the council, acknowledged that tourism generates risks and costs that have to be managed.
"The priority must be to reduce the negative effects and redistribute the benefits," Valls said at a meeting of the Barcelona City and Tourism Council (CTiC) on Wednesday, the first since local elections in May.
He emphasized the commitment of the current local government, led by mayor Jaume Collboni, to manage tourism and ensure that it is sustainable.
Neighborhood, business, trade union, commercial, restaurant, social, cultural, and environmental associations all attended the meeting, as well as tourism experts.
The CTiC forum was created in 2016 as a permanent city participatory body to promote debate on tourism and bring together the various groups involved in the city's tourism planning.
The resolutions of the CTiC are not binding, but they serve as a basis for the political decision-making at Barcelona City Council.