I grew up in Barcelona and live in the US. I'd love to go home, but tourism is making life unbearable for locals.

30.08.2024 - 17:52 / insider.com / El Pais

I loved growing up in Barcelona.

There's nothing like the shimmering Mediterranean Sea at the foot of the Collserola mountain range, its monuments celebrating Spanish and Catalan culture, the festivals steeped in centuries of tradition, and even its scars of the 1936 Civil War— bullet holes in walls and alleyways that stand eerily at chest height.

From an early age, it was a playground for my friends and me, made accessible by a robust public transportation system and a low cost of living.

Yet, in all my memories of beautiful parks and Gaudi-esque architecture soaked in near-eternal sunshine, I cannot remember the first time I saw the all-too-common graffiti that I see now: "Tourists go home."

I moved out of Barcelona about 10 years ago, partly because of tourism's impact on locals. Now, at 27, my parents and grandmother are aging, and I'm thinking of moving back.

But the choice isn't easy, especially when it feels like Barcelona prioritizes visitors over residents.

Barcelona is a major tourism destination year-round, and it has been for a while. According to the Barcelona Tourism Observatory, the city received 15.6 million tourists alone last year.

Tourism accounts for about 15% of the city's economy, which is bad news for the many locals who aren't reaping the benefits of having millions of visitors in their home.

Sure, tourism brings more jobs to Barcelona — but even if that was a career path I wanted to pursue, many of them aren't built to support the actual cost of living in the city.

Research published in Paradigm Academic Press in July found that the majority of new jobs in Barcelona's hospitality industry were only part time, and the average monthly wage in this sector is 1,200 euros or $1,327 — 300 euros less than the city's average wage.

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Meanwhile, Spanish newspaper El País, citing official data, reported that the average monthly rent in Barcelona in the third quarter of 2023 was about 1,171 euros or $1,295.

But housing has become an issue for workers across industries. Spain's housing crisis — worsened by many homes becoming Airbnbs — means it's hard to find an affordable place to live.

It's one of my concerns when I think of returning to Barcelona. Many of my friends must live with their parents well into their 30s because they're struggling to afford to rent an apartment with roommates.

Some residents are also forced to split another limited essential resource: water.

In recent years, Barcelona and the greater Catalonia region have experienced and been vulnerable to droughts. Water rationing is becoming a new reality for many residents, who are expected to keep their resource usage low and limited while hoping globetrotting guests do the same.

It's hard to imagine moving