Evaluating Municipal Responses to Touristification: The PEUAT in Barcelona
Submitted: 2026-02-04
|Accepted: 2026-04-08
|Published: 2026-05-19
Copyright (c) 2026 Andrea Reina
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Keywords:
Barcelona, touristification, PEUAT, tourism, neighbours, housing
Supporting agencies:
Abstract:
Since 1992, Barcelona has established itself as a Mediterranean metropolis with strong tourist appeal. Initially, the increase in visitors was welcomed by the local population. However, as the city transitioned from a place with tourists to a tourist city, some citizens adopted a more critical stance due to effects such as the transformation of local commerce, rising rental prices and residential displacement. To address these issues, the municipal government implemented various policies, including the Special Urban Plan for Tourist Accommodations (PEUAT), which divides the city into four zones with different regulations regarding licenses and the number of tourist establishments. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach, drawing on both public and first-hand data, to analyse patterns associated with tourism dynamics and to explore the role of the PEUAT in shaping these dynamics across four neighbourhoods: Barceloneta (ZE-1), Sants (ZE-2), Clot (ZE-3), and La Sagrera (ZE-4). In doing so, the study combines quantitative indicators and qualitative insights to identify spatial differences, emerging trends, and stakeholder perceptions regarding tourism pressure and its regulation.
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