If Catalonia’s October 1st referendum hasn’t clarified the region’s relationship with Spain, it appears to have helped the goal of those who think Spain, and especially Barcelona, have too many tourists. Tourism officials report a sharp drop in bookings.
The referendum, which Spain considers illegal, played out in the world’s press with images of chaos, featuring Spanish police attacking voters. And in the weeks since, there’s been little sign of a resolution to the crisis.
Exceltur, the trade association of Spain’s hotel chains, travel agents, tour operators and airlines, reports drops of 15-20% in recent weeks, worth over €1 billion for Catalonia, which is the country’s biggest tourism sector, including Barcelona and the Costa Brava beaches.
The effects are also being felt in other parts of the country.
