TOU1011
CASE STUDY
Due Date: 19 May 2021
This assessment should be submitted on Moodle
4 group members
CASE STUDY – Weighting – 25%
How Tourism Impacts Barcelona
In the last years tourism in Barcelona is one of the main sources of revenue for the
city. As a proof thereof, is the progressive growth in the accommodations sector - from
5-star hotels to private rented flats. Barcelona’s transformation as a premier resort and
the influx of tourists has caused some inconvenience to city residents. The tourism
boom has also led to some changes in the ratio of tourists to resident, with fleeing
crowds seeking the essence of Barcelona. The main problems faced by the citizens
are related to the difficulty in living - mainly by antisocial behaviour, low cost tourism
or the crush of drunken tourist who do not respect anything or anyone, showing absent
regard to the city. Just in recent months tourism has created a great debate on the
number of rental apartments in the district of Barcelona and the behaviour of its visiting
tenants.
Users and some traders of the Boqueria market, in La Rambla, are on the warpath
against the excess of visitors in spaces that are designated for commercial use - as
those areas are not prepared to receive large amounts of people, exceeding the
carrying capacity. Tension has arisen between tourists and hosts, as well as hosts that
capitalize on tourism focusing only on the economic benefit it brings. Neighbours of
the temple of the expiatory church of La Sagrada Família have also complained about
the large number of vehicles, mainly coaches parking in the surrounding area which
obstructs daily circulation. The city council has approved new rules on circulation and
visitor numbers in the historical city centre with special attention to the tourists and
modes of transport that should be used.
Source: http://www.gastournomic.com/main-problems-mass-tourism-in-barcelona/
1
Discuss the negative impact tourism creates from the following perspectives:


Socio-cultural
Environmental
[3]
[3]
2
What is you understanding of the term, demonstration effect. How can this
negatively impact a host community?
[3]
3
Do you think that the city of Barcelona has managed its tourism industry
responsibly? Motivate your answer
[3]
4
What would you suggest city council do, to better manage tourism in
Barcelona?
[3]
“If tourism is to be developed, it needs to account for both positive and
negative economic, social cultural and environmental impacts”.
[15]
5
Taking the above-mentioned statement into consideration, in an argumentative
essay of no more than 5 pages, discuss the impact Tourism has on South
Africa.
Consider the following:





What are the positive impacts of tourism development?
What are the negative?
Does the positive outweigh the negative (or vice-versa)? Why do you say this?
How do we manage rapid development?
What is sustainable tourism and why is it important?
[TOTAL 30]