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Report

Text

Pro-Tourism Consensus Crumbles in Barcelona

Author:
Kate Shea Baird

Entry type:
Report

Year of publication:
2017

Publishers:
The Indypendent

Language:
English

External content:
To the content

Introduction: Barcelona, a city of 1.6 million people, was visited by 8.2 million tourists last year. For decades, city governments of all political stripes operated under the assumption that ‘growth is good’. Each annual increase in visitor numbers was announced with glee, with assurances the sector would bring immense economic benefits to the city.

But around three years ago, signs began to appear that the pro-tourism consensus was crumbling. It became clear that income generated by tourism was concentrated in the hands of a minority, while its negative consequences were borne by everyone else.

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