The Tourism and City Board (CTiC) metthis Tuesday in the Saló de Cent at Barcelona City Council for the last plenary session of the current term of office.
The plenary took stock of the work plan for this City Council sectoral participation body, which represents a broad range of interests and sensitivities related to tourism.
The CTiC was created in 2016, the aim being to provide a forum for debate, sharing ideas and putting forward proposals for improving the development of tourism in Barcelona. It comprises neighbourhood associations, the tourism, retail, hospitality, social, cultural and environmental sectors, trade unions, and well-known local experts. Since its creation, the Tourism and City Board has enabled local residents to participate in tourism governance and to collaborate with the government on policies, strategic lines, and projects in this field.
The work done highlights its articulation and consolidation as a space for work and for the exchange of views on mobility, taxation, tourism marketing, working conditions, accommodation, and public space. With special emphasis on the challenges presented by the post-COVID scenario. During this time, the CTIC has discussed topics such as creating new tourist attraction areas, culture, heritage and the urban landscape, retail and hospitality, new business models and the collaborative economy, and the promotion and positioning of the city.
Councillor for Tourism and Creative Industries, Xavier Marcé expressed his thanks for all the hard work, and stressed that now, at the end of the current term of office, there is “better governance and an improvement in the perception of tourism among our local residents”. He added that it has been possible to “redistribute wealth throughout the various districts, and that today tourist numbers have fallen, with those who visit being higher value tourists who spend more, and spend more days in the city.”
As a challenge for the future, Marcé focused on the importance of “achieving a virtuous balance between the global benefits generated by the visitor economy and the changes in our coexistence model.” To do this, he underlined the fact that, “we have a tool that will make our work easier, 41 million euros in European Next Generation funds that will enable us to improve mobility, make the digital transition a reality, and prioritise sustainability.”
Statement from the sector supporting a sustainable tourism model
A statement was presented at the plenary session calling on all to work together to ensure that tourism activities are developed within a framework based on an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable model that respects local residents, businesses and working people, visitors and the city itself, safeguarding the generation of shared prosperity and coexistence, and the protection of employment rights as inalienable values within the current legislative framework.
Last year, the CTiC’s membership was renewed until 2026, and it is made up of representatives from local community and neighbourhood organisations, the tourism business, retail, hospitality, culture and sport sectors, trade unions, environmental associations, grassroots groups, and district representatives, as well as professional experts, technical managers, and representatives from each of the municipal groups.
The following have representatives on the Tourism and City Board:
- Community and neighbourhood associations: Federació de Associació de Veïns i Veïnes de La Sagrada Família de Barcelona (FAVB), Associació de Veïns i Veïnes de La Sagrada Família, Associació Veïnal del Casc Antic, Associació de Veïns de la Barceloneta, Associació Plataforma Can Baró, AmfiCat
- Tourism business sector: Barcelona Hotel Guild, Barcelona Tourist Apartments Association (APARTUR), Catalan Association of Specialised Travel Agencies (ACAVE), Catalan Association for Tourism Professionals (ACPT), Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Barcelona Promotion Foundation.
- Retail sector and one representative from the restaurant sector: Unió d’Eixos Comercials Turístics Barcelona Oberta, Fundació Barcelona Comerç (Barcelona Comerç), Associació d’Amics, Veïns i Comerciants de La Rambla (Association of Friends, Neighbours and Traders of La Rambla), PIMEC
- Cultural and sports sectors: ADETCA (Association of Theatre Companies of Catalonia), Fundació Privada Antoni Tàpies (GRUP ARTICKET)
- Trade unions: CCOO, UGT Catalonia
- Environmental organisations: Association of Environmentalists of Catalonia (COAMB), Associació Ethnic
- Social organisations and groups: Catalan Round Table of Third Social Sector Organisations, Sants Social Centre
- District organisations: Ciutat Vella, Fundació Tot Raval; Eixample, (TBC); Sants – Montjuïc, Plataforma d’Afectats per la Contaminació Acústica i la Massificació (PACAME); Sarrià – Sant Gervasi, Eix Sarrià; Gràcia, Associació de Veïns La Salut, Parc Güell, Sanllehy; Les Corts, Sants – Les Corts Shopping District; Horta Guinardó, Taula del Park Güell; Nou Barris, Eix Nou Barris Centre Comerç; Sant Andreu, Sagrera Activa Associació de Comerciants; Sant Martí (TBC)
- Experts: Maria Abellanet, Ernest Cañada, Pere Duran, Enric Truñó, Begoña Blanco, Asunción Blanco, Jordi Ficapal, Pili Malagarriga, Toni Mascaró, Elisabet Parés, Ferran Poca, Sònia Corrochano.
- Municipal technicians: Ciutat Vella and Sant Martí District Managers, representative of the Barcelona Tourism Consortium, Director General BSM, Barcelona City Council’s Director of Tourism, ICUB Manager
- The Ombudsman’s Office and the Associació Consell de Cent are also among the sectoral bodies represented
- Representatives appointed by each municipal group