City Introduces EGA Plan to Tackle Tourist Pressure
Barcelona is launching a comprehensive plan to manage tourism in its most crowded areas, as influencer-driven travel trends concentrate millions of visitors into a handful of iconic spots. The Barcelona City Council has defined 16 Crowded Spaces (Espais de Gran Afluència, or EGAs), where high footfall from tourists and residents is straining public life. According to the Observatori del Turisme a Barcelona’s 2024 survey of nearly 4,000 tourists, 80.9% visited La Rambla, 80.0% went to Plaça Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia, and 77.9% toured the Sagrada Família, all frequently featured on social media. This concentration has prompted the city to act.
€44.2 Million Invested in 33 Measures
The EGA Plan will roll out 33 specific actions with a minimum investment of €44.2 million during the current political term. Priority zones for immediate intervention are the area around the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and the stretch between La Boqueria Market and Plaça de la Gardunya. These measures include establishing an EGA Technical Coordination Office run jointly by Foment de Ciutat and the Department of Tourism, backed by an annual budget of €150,000. An additional €1 million per year from the Tax on Stays in Tourist Establishments (IEET) will fund on-the-ground actions.
We are talking about iconic spaces of the city with saturation, where there is difficulty carrying out daily life, said Deputy Mayor Jordi Valls.
Technology and Data to Guide Interventions
The city will create an EGA data office to monitor foot traffic and assess the impact of the plan. One proposed tool is a mobile app that would show real-time visitor volumes, helping tourists choose less crowded alternatives. Other EGAs include Barceloneta, Poble Sec, Gòtic, Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera, La Rambla, Passeig de Gràcia, Plaça de Catalunya, Sant Antoni Market, the waterfront, Fòrum, Poblenou promenade, Glòries, Turó de la Rovira, and Camp Nou.
Shift in Tourism Patterns and Local Impact
Influencer culture is reshaping both visitor behaviour and the city’s commercial landscape. Over half of tourists visit cafés and bars, many drawn to globally uniform offerings like avocado toast and matcha lattes, part of what researchers call “foodification.” While 62.5% of tourists dined at Spanish restaurants and 40.7% at Catalan ones, niche, Instagrammable venues are gaining visibility. Influencers such as Gabriele Pletaite and Lidia Izquierdo promote these spots through paid collaborations, often highlighting experiences priced beyond local reach. Tourist spending averaged €1,175.27 per person in 2024, up 7.3% from 2023, according to the Observatory of Tourism in Barcelona. Most arrived by plane (80.8%) and stayed in hotels (55.4%), booking via online travel agencies. The council aims to preserve access for residents while sustaining tourism’s economic benefits. Work near the Sagrada Família has already begun this summer, marking the first phase of a long-term governance model designed to balance global appeal with urban livability.
Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Reported by barna.news, observatoriturisme.barcelona, lavanguardia.com, beteve.cat, Observatori del Turisme a Barcelona: ciutat i regió, sagradafamilia.org.
