A call to downsize cruise port infrastructure in Barcelona has elicited a strong defense of the cruise industry by the Port of Barcelona director general. Jose Alberto Carbonell doesn’t deny Barcelona feels the impacts of tourist overcrowding. However, the cruise industry is not the main problem.
“Cruises represent 5% of tourism in Barcelona. With this I am not denying a problem, but they are only 5% and they must be 5% of the solution.” More than 15 million visited Barcelona last year and 2.79 million arrived by cruise ship.
City Wants to Cut the Number of Cruise Terminals
Last week, the Barcelona council informed port officials of its intention to reduce the number of cruise terminals from seven to five. It is not the first time it has made such a request. In 2018, the Barcelona council and the port authorities reached an agreement to cut the number of cruise terminals from nine to seven.
Carbonell said port authorities were open to talks with the council. It comes just days after the first ship called at MSC Cruises’ new Barcelona cruise terminal. It is set to be officially inaugurated in the coming months.
City officials are not only targeting the cruise industry to combat tourist overcrowding. The council wants to ban 10,000 apartments almost exclusively rented for the short term to visiting tourists. It says this has driven up property rental prices, forcing many locals to move out of the city.
The council is taking action in part due to local sentiment which has soured on tourism in recent years. The city has seen anti-tourist protests numbering several thousand people.
Cruise Lines International Association Europe has cited Barcelona as one destination cruise lines may consider avoiding due to the level of anti-tourist feeling.
“There will be some consideration of adapting itineraries if we feel that all passengers will not be well-treated. The scenes that have been seen in places like Barcelona have an impact on the reputation of the destination,” said CLIA Europe director, Marie-Caroline Laurent.
