Barcelona creates committee to manage mass tourism

Barcelona city council has created a new committee to manage mass tourism under the leadership of geographer and tourism expert José Donaire.

As mayor Jaume Collboni said during a Friday press statement from the city council, Donaire has a long career in the tourism sector and public institutions.

The committee is responding to the city's current transformation, with all-time highs in the number of visitors, the ongoing debate on the tourist tax, and the years-long cruise ship debate.

Collboni said that the idea is to "move from promoting the city to managing the tourism industry," to see a more sustainable model that does not affect locals.

The announcement takes place less than a week after around 600 people demonstrated with water guns in an anti-tourism action across the streets of the Catalan capital.

The decision also comes a few weeks after Collboni announced that he would reform his cabinet and add three new committees: business promotion, language, and housing refurbishment. He ended up creating a fourth committee.

"Barcelona has moved on from promoting tourism and now wants to manage it properly and look for sustainable models," Collboni said as he believes that the industry must become "a positive and respectful financial activity" compatible with locals.

José Donaire has said it is essential "to build an industry model that respects locals."

"Barcelona has reached its growth limit," Donaire pointed out before adding that there should be "brave policies" to limit tourism.

The Catalan city welcomes around 15.5 million visitors each year, a figure that needs to be properly managed, according to Donaire, so it does not negatively impact locals.