The area has been completely abandoned by British tourists who have decided to go elsewhere for their holidays
British tourists have seemingly deserted another popular hotspot in favour of other getaways. Once a go-to city break, the streets of Barcelona now look to be “abandoned”, in what has become another example of Spain facing unexpectedly quiet spells this year.
Video clips shared online show completely empty streets across the region. Laura, also known as lauratravelvlogs on TikTok, has been documenting Barcelona’s remarkably altered state this year, drawing on her two-year experience living in the city to emphasise the dramatic drop in tourist numbers.
Over recent months, Laura has been sharing footage displaying Spain’s strangely deserted streets, tranquil roads and vacant beaches – all highlighting the major change in the country’s tourism scene.
Adding a caption to recent footage of surprisingly quiet streets, Laura asked: “Sorry, no one can argue that these roads leading up to the beach were not packed in 2023?” Concerning Spain’s recent peacefulness, it seems others echo her views.
Laura observed that whilst some tourists continue visiting major attractions “for now”, she maintained that spending has hit an “all time low”. She has observed a remarkable change over the last two years and continues to be amazed by the city’s silence.
In a previous post, Laura also showed how empty the city centre had become during the summer months because “tourists don’t feel welcome”. She believes the demonstrations that have taken place throughout Spain have completely put off prospective visitors, reports Bristol Live.
The clip has generated numerous comments since being shared, with viewers sharing varied perspectives. The reactions were rather divided. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
One person wrote: “One by one businesses from all sectors will start to close – that’s the sad thing.”
Another added: “There’s already a lot of smaller towns that have fallen into despair.
“So many people have lost their jobs due to the drop in tourism. It’s madness – they’ll be begging people to go back in a few years.”
A third viewer remarked: “Tourism in Spain is 40% down. The south coast of Spain was eerily quiet last week.”
While a fourth noted: “Spain is old news – there are far nicer countries to spend your money in.”
Some queried when the footage was recorded, whilst others argued it wasn’t entirely bleak. One individual claimed they travelled there in March and witnessed “hundreds more” people about, despite some Britons declaring the location as “finished” for holidays.
Studies indicate that Spain has been abandoned by numerous holidaymakers, with its eateries and coastlines looking practically deserted. For the first time since the pandemic, sections of the nation are experiencing a decline in tourist arrivals, worsened by years of anti-visitor demonstrations by residents.
In August, photographs from Benidorm revealed lines of vacant seats outside numerous bars and restaurants alongside unusually deserted beaches. This proves particularly striking for such sought-after tourist destinations during the peak summer period.
Miguel Pérez-Marsá, who heads the nightlife association, previously informed the Majorca Daily Bulletin: “The tourists we’re interested in are being driven away; they don’t feel welcome and are going to other destinations.”
Tour guides are also experiencing the consequences as Pedro Oliver, president of the College of Tour Guides, shared that excursion bookings have crashed by 20% this summer.
He explained: “If you generate negative news, which has repercussions in other countries, tourists opt for other destinations when choosing their holidays,” before adding, “We are sending the message that we don’t want tourists and that everything is too crowded.”