Barcelona caps tourist arrivals at 15.7 million to protect residents

Barcelona, which welcomes about 16 million visitors each year—roughly ten times its resident population—has announced a new limit of 15.7 million annual guests. The city aims to reshape the visitor mix so that only one‑third are leisure tourists, while business and cultural travelers make up the remainder.

Short‑term rentals will be sharply reduced, with around 10 000 holiday apartments slated to return to the regular housing market by 2028. A nightly tourist tax of 75‑112 kr will fund cleaning, security and public transport, and the number of cruise ships and day‑tripper passengers will be cut to curb overcrowding.

The measures are presented as a way to safeguard local quality of life while still supporting sustainable tourism.