Good practice to reduce inconvenience caused by tourist groups

Ajuntament de Barcelona (the town hall of Barcelona) sets sixteen-point code of good practice to maintain a balance between tourisim and locals life. The objective: make tourist resources sustainable in public spaces, to guarantee safety and mobility and to promote the role of guides as guarantors of the quality of the city. Barcelona Guide Bureau joins these good practices.

Tourist groups are good for the city’s economy but can cause inconvenience for local residents, particularly in busy areas. That means noise, hampering mobility or access to shops and other establishments. In order to minimise these consecuencies, an agreement on good practice has been signed with tour guide associations and is a first step in regulating the sector.

The Councillor for Enterprise and Tourism, Agustí Colom, said: “This agreement highlights the work of tourist guides”, confirming that the move is “a first step in putting together the necessary regulations to guarantee it is fulfilled”.

Two of the most notable measures involve the use of radio controlled systems allowing guides to give explanations to groups silently as Barcelona Guide Bureau already does; and reducing noise pollution, and limits on the volume of tourist groups, adapting to the space available at places visited: responsible tourism.

The declaration will be extended to all tour operators organising free tours in the city so that they can adopt the measures and help to make Barcelona a more sustainable destination.