Catalonia independence push sparks tourism slump

Catalonia’s independence push is taking its toll on the region’s tourism industry, with revenues and hotel bookings down since a banned October 1 secession referendum that was marred by violence.

“The tourism sector is one of the most strongly affected by the instability,” Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told parliament last week as he defended his government’s handling of the Catalan crisis.

Catalonia, with its capital Barcelona and Costa Brava beaches, is the Spanish region that most attracts foreign visitors.

More than 18 million visitors went in 2016, or a quarter of all foreigners who came to Spain.

But images of police beating would-be voters as they tried to stop the independence referendum and the massive street demonstrations in Barcelona that followed the vote had dampened visitors’ enthusiasm.

Catalonia’s tourism activity slumped by around 15 percent during the first two weeks of October compared to the same time last year, according to industry lobby group Exceltur.

Barcelona’s emblematic Las Ramblas boulevard was still packed with locals and tourists on Tuesday, who sat in the sun on outdoor terraces or drove by on open-top buses.

But local shop owners complain of a slump in activity.

“You feel it, there are less tourists since October 1. Our sales have dropped by about 25 percent, it’s very worrying,” Susana Garcia, 44, who runs a confectionery stand on the boulevard, told AFP.

“If you watch TV, and you see Barcelona and police hitting people, and people saying there is no democracy, would you go there?”

Jose Luis Morais has noticed a similar drop in business at his nearby newspaper stand, but he thinks it has “more to do” with the jihadists attacks in Barcelona and the nearby resort of Cambrils in August that killed 16 people “than because of the political situation.”

Catalonia’s tourism activity dropped by around 5 percent in September in the wake of the attacks, according to Exceltur.

Just before the referendum several countries, including Germany, France and the US, warned their citizens to be careful if they decided to travel to Catalonia.

Spanish airline Iberia and American Airlines allowed their passengers on flights to Barcelona to change their tickets for another destination if they wished for free.

With Catalan President Carles Puigdemont threatening to declare independence following the referendum, the impact on the tourism sector is likely to continue over the coming months.