BARCELONA: Tourists arriving at Barcelona’s airport or gazing at its iconic Sagrada Familia basilica will this Easter holiday be met with large signs in English that read: “Drought alert. During your stay, save water”.

As the impact of climate change intensifies across southern Europe, Spain’s Mediterranean region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, is enduring its worst drought on record.

Reservoir levels are only around 15 per cent of their capacity, prompting curbs on water use by residents, visitors, agriculture and industry. Beach showers are shut and swimming pools cannot be filled with tap water, among other restrictions.

Catalan officials have appealed for tourists to act responsibly, but are also adamant the drought should not put them off coming to the Spanish city and region most-visited by foreigners, where tourism accounts for 14.5 per cent of the local economy.

“The message from Catalonia’s tourism agency and business department to campsites and hotels is one of calm: (People) can enjoy their holidays here as usual,” said David Mascort, the regional government’s environmental chief.

Barcelona’s hotel association warned last month the city could not afford to project an image abroad of hotels with empty pools. Hotels’ lobbying prompted the authorities to relax a total ban on filling pools, allowing desalinated water to be used instead.

“Tourists are not scared by the drought and are not aware of it (before arriving),” said the hotel association director Manel Casals. “If we are not careful the image of Barcelona will be impacted (by the drought restrictions), but we are not aware of any negative impact so far. Tourists are still coming.”

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2024