“Barcelona is once again the madness of always”

Every Easter and every August. the people of Barcelona going on vacation (with plenty, especially in rural accommodation) and tourists filling the streets of the city. It didn’t happen in 2020 and it hardly happened in 2021, but now, two years after the start of the pandemic, with the restrictions in clear retreat, and despite the fact that the invasion of Ukraine has slowed down the process, visitors are returning to the city of Barça, Gaudí and good weather. The terraces of Barceloneta, the bars on Passeig de Sant Joan, the restaurants on La Rambla, the places near the Sacred Family…, all full and, in many cases, with queues in the street to get a table. a bar of the street of Pepe Rubianes has had to hire one more person than expected. “we expected mess, but not this. We are happy because we are billing almost more than in 2019. Now we just need to behave well at night, “shares the woman who attends the box.

The return of the visitors is no nonsense. Beyond how the appearance of the city changes, tourism accounts for 12% of Barcelona’s gross domestic product and generates nearly 9% of employment. In this second percentage is Andrea, who has just debut as a waitress in a bar of promenade. She is 21 years old and wanted to earn some money so she could travel in the summer. She has been waiting tables for a week and the owners have told her that these days “it is the same old madness again”. “They are happy, but they are afraid that there will be a new wave of covid or that Ukraine will get more complicated.” The ice cream shop next door has 17 people waiting on the street. The terrace in front harvests another 15 waiting their turn to have a table. They will be served by Marcos, a Colombian, about 30 years old, who says that this Friday has been “a Friday before the pandemic.” But, as the taxi drivers used to say, he misses Asians: “They usually ask for more expensive thingsyour account is always one of the highest of the day”.

It’s true. Outsiders with oriental features are hardly seen. Neither on the beach nor on the Rambla. Those who miss them the most, without a doubt, are the luxury shops in the Passeig de Graciawhere thousands of euros are usually left in clothes or watches. Nor in the airport you can see the classic groups that are already leaving the terminal with the incorporated guide. El Prat will operate this Friday 872 flights11% less than the same day in 2019. The month of March closed with 2.7 million passengers, 32% less than in the same month of 2019 (39% less, in the case of passengers from intercontinental flights) but six times more than in March 2021. The 52.6 million passengers achieved in 2019 will be far away at the end of the year, but it seems that too. All this tide of visitors has allowed keep opening hotels in the Catalan capital. 83% are already operational and they hope to close Easter with an occupancy of 80%.

The tourist apartmentsinstead, they will exceed 90% occupancy. One possible explanation for the good data regarding hotels is the search for a place where you don’t have to share space with other people. The covid still floats in the environment… Manuel, owner of several tourist flats in Ciutat Vella, explains that there has been a lot of last-minute booking. “I think that people no longer plan as far in advance as before. Probably because of the fear that a new wave of covid will kill their trip.” She has all the accommodations full, now she has Danes, Germans and Italians. And a family from Seville.

At the tourist bus stop in Plaza de Catalunya, a driver explains that this Friday has had the highest number of visitors since March 2020. “And I also have the feeling that they are happier and more grateful. I think everyone wanted to start to leave the house…”