A POPULAR Spanish hotspot for Brits wants to ban new hotels from opening in a bid to reduce the number of tourists visiting.
Hotel prices in San Sebastián could become more expensive.
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According to the local newspaper La Nacion, San Sebastián, a Spanish resort city in the Bay of Biscay, wants to prevent new hotels and tourist apartments from opening.
Earlier this year, the city’s mayor, Eneko Goia, said: “The supply of tourist accommodation is sufficient and it is time to limit the opening of new businesses.”
At the same time, the city council revealed its intent to implement a series of measures aimed at limiting the opening of new tourism businesses in San Sebastián.
As part of these measures, Mr Goia plans to declare parts of the city “saturated” in a bid to promote sustainable tourism.
For every 100 residents in the city, there are 9.91 tourists.
A preliminary report called the General Urban Planning Plan outlined the negative impacts holidaymakers had on the city in recent years.
According to the report, which was managed by the council, tourists have negatively impacted the city’s gastronomy, culture, and economy.
In addition to the report, anti-tourism graffiti has also appeared across the city.
The messages, which tell tourists to “go home” have allegedly been written onto monuments and bridges.
Despite the proposed clampdown on tourist businesses, the proposed measures aren’t a ban on holidaymakers.
Instead, the council wants holidaymakers and residents to be able to “co-exist” in the city.
The proposed measures have already been welcomed by one tourist operator in the port city.
The manager of San Sebastián Apartments, Mr Iñigo Etxebeste told the Daily Express: “For existing hotels who already have their clientele, this move means new potential competitors won’t be able to operate, and therefore all the incoming tourists will need to stay in these existing hotels.
“Thus, I foresee hotels will enjoy even higher occupancy rates, and with even higher prices per night, due to the increased demand and unchanged offer in the market.”
A proposal for the new measures is expected to be submitted in 2024.
Other parts of Spain are also seeking to reduce tourism numbers too.
The mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau has already introduced a number of restrictions to prevent more tourists visiting.
This includes a ban on new hotels in the city centre, restrictions on the number of hotel beds, and curbing plans to expand the airport.
She now wants to reduce the number of cruise ships visiting Barcelona.
Lanzarote wants “fewer Brits” and instead wants to attract French, Italian, and Dutch tourists instead.
President of the Lanzarote Council, Dolores Corujo, said they’re aiming to receive fewer tourists, “with greater spending in the destination so that they generate greater wealth in the economy as a whole.”
The Balearic Islands, which include Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, have also said they want fewer tourists to visit.
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