After the attacks in Spain, the whole world looks to Barcelona and the Catalan coastal town of Cambrils. In the middle of the holiday time of Terror has taken one of the most popular travel destinations in the world.
The world is in mourning after two terror attacks that rocked Spain on Thursday. In Barcelona, a man on the tourist promenade of Las Ramblas was crashed with a truck in a lot and has killed at least 14 passers-by, around a hundred were injured. It is people of at least 34 different nationalities.
Only hours later, the bombers headed over to the beach promenade of the Catalan seaside town of Cambrils, close to Tarragona and injured seven persons, one of whom later died. Security forces shot dead the five suspected terrorists.
It is not the first Time that a car is used as a weapon in a popular holiday destination. In Berlin, nice and London, the stops were following a similar pattern. The victims were always local residents and tourists.
Tourism foreign exchange earner and Nuisance
This time, it has met with Barcelona one of the most important European cities and destinations. For decades, the visit numbers are increasing. Around 30 million tourists it were 2016. Including many day-trippers who arrived on Spain’s largest cruise port.
Cruise port of Barcelona
The tourist rush has recently led to protests from residents. The city and its attractions are crowded. Price increases by the tourism annoy the local residents, a Bar in the city centre is for both Locals little more affordable.
But in the meantime, the tourism industry makes up almost 17 percent of the regional gross domestic product. And is the most important source of revenue for the capital of Catalonia, 1.6 million people live. Also in the former fishing village of Cambrils, on the Costa Dorada tourism has long been the main source of income.
Catalonia, City, Beaches, Villages
Catalonia is a so-called “Autonomous community” in the North-East of Spain. The inhabitants have their own culture and its own language, Catalan. An influential movement for independence, aims for many years, the separation from Spain.
Symbol of the independence movement: the Catalan flag with a star
The landscape of Catalonia is diverse, ranging from the high mountainous region of the Pyrenees, to the sprawling beaches. In the Pyrenees, along the French border up to the Cap Creus on the Mediterranean sea, reaching the summit heights of over 3000 meters. The highest mountain in Catalonia, the Pica dEstats with 3143 meters.
Most of the tourists it attracts, however, to the coasts. The tourists are very popular Costa Brava in the North to the Costa Dorada in the South about 560 kilometers of steep cliffs, fine sandy beaches and dreamy bays extend. Among the most famous tourist resorts of Roses, Tossa del Mar, Lloret de Mar, on the Costa Brava, as well as Calafell, Salou and Cambrils on the Costa Dorada. The seaside town of Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava is one of the biggest tourist centers of Europe.
Tourist resorts as terrorist targets
The terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils have now taken the third-most popular holiday country in the world. Because it’s not just Catalonia but the whole of Spain is booming in terms of tourism. The world tourism organization UNWTO published until the beginning of August Figures, according to which Spain is the country with the most tourism is earned. Alone in 2016, there were 173 billion euros.
La Barceloneta Promenade and the beach in Barcelona
Spain benefits from the fact that many people avoid out of fear of unrest and Terror sun destinations in North Africa and Egypt. Add to that the political instability in Turkey, which prevented travelers from a holiday destination, Turkey. Instead, it is the choice of many for a holiday in Spain. Because the country was seen as a safe destination. But the question is: Are the tourist numbers in Spain break in?