Joan Gaspart, hotel businessman and former president of FC Barcelona, leaves Turisme de Barcelona after 33 years. He was one of the driving forces behind the consortium in 1993 to capitalize on the success of the Olympic Games. His model multiplied visitors from 2.45 million to 16 million annually. His departure marks the end of an era and raises questions about the future of tourism management in the city, a key sector for employment and the local economy.
Digital transformation: the challenge of managing 16 million visits 📊
The exponential growth of tourism forces a rethink of technological control tools. Barcelona needs real-time monitoring systems to measure the impact on housing, mobility, and local commerce. Open data platforms and artificial intelligence applied to flow prediction would allow adjusting the hotel and vacation rental supply. Without these developments, the city council's capacity to react will remain reactive rather than preventive, a risk for neighborhood coexistence.
Gaspart leaves, but the selfie tourism stays 📸
Joan leaves his post, but the hordes of tourists with paper maps and flip-flops at the cathedral have no plans to retire. The new manager inherits the challenge of ensuring terraces don't take over sidewalks and that tourist apartments don't look like ant colonies. At least, Gaspart will no longer have to listen to neighbors complaining that the hotel next door has more floors than their patience.