After Venice, soon Seville?
The city of Andalusia (Spain) is considering implementing a tax to allow tourists to access the popular Plaza de España, the mayor of Seville José Luis Sanz announced this Sunday, February 25, in the part of a plan to combat overtourism.
“We are considering closing the Spanish Steps and making tourists pay to finance its maintenance and ensure its security,” wrote Mayor Jose Luis Sanz in a message published on the social network 'a video showing missing tiles, damaged facades and street vendors occupying alcoves and staircases.
We are planning to surround the Plaza de España and cobrar a los turistas to finance their conservation and guarantee their security.
In addition, we created a taller arts school.
At this point, the monument will be free and freely accessible to all visitors.
pic.twitter.com/p0ly27otT8
— José Luis Sanz (@jlsanzalcalde) February 25, 2024
Residents fiercely opposed to the measure
“With a semi-circular neo-Moorish palatial structure framed by tall towers at both ends and four bridges spanning a moat, the Plaza de España is part of a complex built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929,” recalls Reuters.
Thousands of people from all over the world visit it every day, by carriage or on foot.
The negative reactions were quick: “A tourism tax for ALL visitors generates less debate and generates more revenue.
Listen to the people, not the hoteliers,” one Internet user replied to the mayor.
A comment whose content reflects the overwhelming majority of the responses provided.
A petition was created against this measure and collected more than 26,000 signatures this Wednesday at midday.
The regional delegate of the Government in Andalusia, however, banged his fist on the table this Monday, recalling that the site, classified as national heritage, could not be the subject of such a measure without having the approval of the government , specifies the Diario de Sevilla.
Access will remain free for residents of the region
Faced with strong reactions, José Luis Sanz stressed that the square would be “neither closed nor privatized”.
According to him, this will consist of a “tax on tourists, as is done in the majority of cities in the world”.
Furthermore, he insisted that Sevillians and residents of the region would maintain “free and free access” to the place.
“The town hall budget cannot alone preserve our heritage, nor guarantee the safety of the monument,” he said again to plead in favor of his measure.
We invite you to watch this video: this is the Plaza de España at this time.
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🤝 I enjoy the debate, but without demagogias:
👉🏻No se va a cerrar nor privatizar nada: only we are going to cobrar a tasa to the tourists, as we are in the majority of the cities of the world.
✅Los sevillanos… pic.twitter.com/DEBliz5IrD
— José Luis Sanz (@jlsanzalcalde) February 26, 2024
With more than three million tourists per year for 700,000 inhabitants, Seville is the third most visited city in Spain, which in turn is one of the most visited countries in the world, with tourism representing 13% of GDP.
Like Seville, other cities are trying to put in place measures to regulate tourist flows and limit the impact on the daily lives of residents.
This is for example what Dubrovnik did in Croatia by banning wheeled suitcases on the cobblestones, the island of Sardinia (Italy) by charging for the most popular beaches or even Venice which introduced a single ticket at 5 euros for tourists coming for the day.