Barcelona’s hotels have had a bad season despite nearly full beds, hotel association leaders say, and they blame it on widely-publicized demonstrations against over-tourism, and for independence, as well as fears brought on by a terrorist attack a year ago.
“The international press spoke of this conflict, of a shaken Catalonia, and this has helped create a negative image. As a result, Barcelona’s reputation as a tourist destination has suffered,” the president of the association, Jordi Clos, told a news conference.
According to their figures, vacancy rates dropped by .7 percent in July and 1 percent in August, but they say that to maintain that level, they have had to slash prices, causing revenue drops for the two months of 7.3 and 20 percent.
Official tourism figures from the central government noted a 6.7% decrease in visits to Catalonia this year, matched by a 6.7% increase in the Madrid region.
