Why Barcelona locals are protesting tourists

Tourists in Barcelona received an unwelcome surprise last weekend after thousands of protesters marched through the city's popular areas, spraying people with toy water guns while shouting, "Tourists go home." Richard Florida, a professor at the University of Toronto studying how urbanism and globalization affects communities, joins CBS News to examine why and how some countries are cracking down on tourism.

[firstname__lastname]

BLAME YOUR COUNTRY! It’s so absurd to be mad at tourists and strangers when it’s your own government and people that sets the prices and make the rules and regulations. Tourists will go back to their country and Barcelona, Spain will still have high rent and taxes.

[paulg]

The irony Spain crying about being invaded.

[JRoss-zxzx]

Ok Barcelonans, then don't leave Barcelona, ever.

[shawntober]

And it’s not the “tourist” making the prices, it’s their OWN shady business people in there own country making it impossible for the locals!

[rhp_]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lived in a ski town for a number of years. Hated 'tourists'. Right up until I figured out that without the tourists, the town wouldn't even exist. Be careful what you wish for.

[bambang]

If the tourists are gone, these people will begging for them to come back. Money matters.

[damnjustassignmeone]

I understand protesting tourism, but targeting specific people isn’t right.

[lat]

The reason for the rising high cost of living in Barcelona is because the locals that own apartments found out that they can make far more money renting their apartments on a short time rental (1 to 10 days) This took a lot of long term rental apartments off the market that the locals were renting. Due to "supply and demand", this also caused the long term rent prices to increase.

[glep]

Simple enough, put a fence around Barcelona. No one gets in, no one gets out. After all, Barcelonans should not visit other locales and be tourists.

[no-barknoonan]

I'll keep this in mind when I see the people of Barcelona anywhere outside Catalonia.

[avocado]

This is a problem in every city not just Spain. Air bnbs have made most places unaffordable

[ToToNat_sm]

Barcelona, #1 on my NOT to travel to list. People are rude there.

[tborange]

Tourism in Barcelona generates approx 13.8 Billion Dollars Annually. To squirt them with water guns is moronic. If you want to curb tourism, work with the gov to place limitations. Pretty soon the tourists will start squirting back... its pointless. Spain conquered many countries in the past and at one time wanted world domination... they should study their own history.

[dianenguyen]

Then us “tourists” should go home and spend $$ where it was welcomed.

[autumnislovely]

Airbnb's changed the game. Before, if you wanted to vacation somewhere you had to stay with someone you knew, or get a hotel room (which are limited).

[XeroJin]

We should give them what they want and no money from tourism.

[EhCloserLook]

I got mugged near the Magic Fountain in Barcelona in 2019 on my first ever trip there… all while hundreds of people were walking by just watching. The police were super unsympathetic too. Suffice it to say, Barcelona is not high up on my ‘cities I want to return to and visit’ list. 😒

[MIKE_OSCAR]

Maybe just complain to your government instead of the innocent tourists 🙃

[orfordwolf]

Barcelona is full of pickpockets anyway

[JasonB]

Housing prices increase regardless of tourism its self. In Touristy locations. Real Estate is in short supply and highly desirable. This makes them perfect investment vehicles for the super rich. What really increases cost of rent and homes is rich buying luxury condos and homes in the area. This increase the costs of housing everywhere else in that area. It’s called Gentrification. It’s funny how the “Expert” chose NYC as a good example when locals have been dealing with Gentrification for years. You can’t afford anything larger than a small walk in closet unless you make high 6 figure income. NYC good at managing Tourists? Only multi-millionaires can live in Manhattan. The poor people have to live outside of Manhattan and commute in. The US politicians have put the economic blame on migrants that allegedly came to US illegally when Billionaires own many of the EMPTY luxury condos in the shiny tall skyscrapers.