How The New Tourist Rules of Barcelona Can Impact You?

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In an attempt to protect overcrowding in Barcelona, the city is put in place some new tourist rules for better management.

Why The New Rules

Barcelona has about 1.6 million residents which has about 32 million visitors passing by almost every year. This obviously leads to over crowding, escalating rental costs and ecological imbalance.

Tourism currently contributes about 12-14% of the city’s economy, with approximately 20% of visitors coming from other parts of Spain. However, some in the industry have expressed fears that the new tourist rules will weaken the local economy. Here are some of the new rules:

1. Special Zones For Tourists

Special Urban Development Plan for Tourist Accommodation (PEUAT) will be dividing the entire city into several zones for tourist accommodation.

2. No accommodation near Historic Locations

In order to ensure an even spread of tourist accommodation throughout the city, as per the tourist rules, accommodation will not be allowed in historic central districts like the Old Town.

3. Temporary Suspension on New Hotels

The move temporarily forbids building any new hotels or issuing new licences for tourist apartments. There are also recommendations in PEUAT to restrict the number of beds for tourists

How It Affects You?

1. The rules are expected to come into effect by 2019. So, there is no immediate impact.
2. Ensure the hotel you are booking is legal and falls under Special Urban Development Plan for Tourist Accommodation (PEUAT) norms.
3. Try not to travel during peak season time. Summers are usually very busy in Spain.
4. Call up the historic locations before visiting as there could be some restrictions on the number of visitors.
5.  Explore areas outside the densely populated areas of La Rambla and El Poblenou.

The recent measures to increase the number of cycle lanes along with the new tourists rules is only a start of a more eco-friendly and balanced Barcelona.

Did you read about the all new Ferrari Land that is expected to launch this 2017? 

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