Barcelona port shuts down two cruise ship terminals to combat excess tourism

Barcelona port shuts down two cruise ship terminals to combat excess tourism

Barcelona Tackles Overtourism with Multi-faceted Approach

Barcelona, one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations, is taking decisive action to combat overtourism. The city's multi-pronged approach includes closing and consolidating cruise terminals, banning short-term rentals, investing in sustainable infrastructure, and addressing local opposition.

In 2024, the Port of Barcelona welcomed 1.6 million cruise passengers "in transit," making it the busiest cruise port in Europe. However, starting in 2026, two terminals, including the Barcelona South wharf terminal, will close, with older terminals being demolished and a new public terminal constructed. The new terminal will have a maximum capacity of 7,000 passengers, limiting cruise ship growth and reducing passenger handling capacity from 37,000 to 31,000 simultaneously. The aim is to shift towards homeporting vessels rather than short one-day stopovers that crowd the city without significantly benefiting the local economy.

The local government also plans to ban short-term rentals by 2029 to address the housing crisis and protect neighborhoods from being overtaken by vacation rentals and tourist-related businesses. This decision comes in response to complaints about the conversion of apartments into holiday rentals contributing to unaffordable housing for locals.

While the provided documents do not mention explicit new restrictions on group tours, the city’s broader strategy to manage tourist flows includes studying cruise passenger movement to develop sustainable mobility plans and other measures to reduce overcrowding, which may implicitly impact guided group tourism.

The city has seen growing anti-tourism protests, with demonstrators adopting slogans like “tourism steals our bread, homes, and future,” reflecting local discontent toward mass tourism. Although no official change to the city’s promotional slogan is detailed, this shift in public sentiment highlights the city’s recognition of overtourism issues and the need for managing tourism's impact.

The plan involves €185 million in combined public and private investment. Measures have been taken to restrict group tours to certain parts of the city, allowing limited access to 24 streets and squares to tourists. The aim is to target better quality visitors with the new slogan, "This is Barcelona."

Most of the cruise passengers disembark in the morning and return to their vessels in the late afternoon. The housing crisis in Barcelona, making renting a property unaffordable for residents and workers, is a key reason for the ban on short-term accommodation. A popular bus route has been removed from Google Maps to help elderly citizens find available seating spaces.

The study on how cruise ship passengers navigate the city is the initial phase in creating a sustainable mobility plan for Barcelona. The city's renovation will enable connecting ships to the local electricity grid, reducing emissions. The renovation also aims to modernize the port infrastructure for more sustainable cruise operations.

The agreement, announced on 18 July 2025, includes allocating funds for the study on how cruise ship passengers navigate the city and the renovation of the port. Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni also announced plans to fully ban short-term accommodation from November 2028.

With these measures, Barcelona hopes to strike a balance between maintaining its appeal as a tourist destination and addressing the concerns of its residents. The city's efforts to combat overtourism have been met with significant local backlash, but the city council remains committed to implementing these changes.

[1] City of Barcelona, Press Release: Port of Barcelona [2] City of Barcelona, Press Release: Short-term Rentals Ban [3] City of Barcelona, Mobility Plan [4] City of Barcelona, Sustainable Tourism Strategy

1. The Port of Barcelona, a popular destination for cruise tourists, will close two terminals in 2026 and construct a new terminal with a limited capacity, aiming to shift from short one-day stopovers to homeporting vessels.
2. Barcelona's local government plans to ban short-term rentals by 2029 to address the housing crisis and protect neighborhoods from being overtaken by tourist-related businesses.
3. The city is studying cruise passenger movement to develop a sustainable mobility plan and reduce overcrowding, which could potentially impact guided group tourism.
4. Barcelona hopes to strike a balance between maintaining its appeal as a tourist destination and addressing the concerns of its residents, investing €185 million in combined public and private funds to implement changes.
5. Barcelona's efforts to combat overtourism include connecting ships to the local electricity grid, modernizing port infrastructure for more sustainable cruise operations, and banning short-term accommodation to make housing more affordable for locals.

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