The Spanish tourist lobby Exceltur estimates that this year’s losses will approach 100 billion euros. A fifth of this is due to Barcelona. “This is not just a public health disaster,” said Mayor Ada Colau, who spoke to us after much insistence. “This is also a social and economic crisis. It will last a long time and will affect all of Europe.”
Colau: “Barcelona has been hit by the corona virus. More than 2000 people have died and the city is unrecognizable. The first step is to get the virus under control. After that, the economy needs to get going again, although we already know that we will not return to the previous situation. Businesses will close, people will lose their jobs. “
Breather
Nevertheless, Colau sees the current period as a necessary respite, in which the city can reflect on sectors that have been under stress for a long time. Mass tourism has had too many negative consequences. “The tourism of the future must be sustainable. And much more connected to the life in the city. Mixing visitors with the inhabitants. This will create a balance.”
But for the time being, a visit to the city looks like the first sight after a terrible disaster with no more than a thousand survivors. The shutters at most of the stalls in the La Boquería tourist market are down. Those who invested in the internet on time and now sell their fish online will make it, says Luisa Ripoll. She is the fifth generation of a family of fishmongers on the market.
It hurts Ripoll to see ‘her’ market so empty. Rop Zoutberg visited her:
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