Girona limits tourist groups to 25 people

Girona will limit tourist groups to a maximum of 25 people, as approved by the city council on Monday.

The new measure also prohibits the use of loudspeakers and megaphones during guided tours.

Fines of up to €300 will be imposed on tour operators who fail to comply with the new rules.

The regulation applies to the entire city, but it is particularly aimed at the old town, where most of the tourism is concentrated.

Deputy mayor Gemma Geis emphasized that the restriction "reorganizes the negative effects" that large groups can have on residents in popular tourist areas.

"We have a constant flow of visitors, concentrated in the old town, where the streets are narrow and the squares small," Geis said.

She added that the measure will "prevent overcrowding and ensure a more harmonious tourist experience."

"The measure is essential to address the lack of regulation and promote responsible tourism," Geis said, noting that the policy was agreed with the city's tour guide association.

The council hopes the measure will "serve as an example of management that focuses on coexistence and avoids anti-tourism rhetoric."

The proposal was approved by a large majority, with the exception of the Socialists, who abstained.

Despite voting in favor, the conservative People's Party expressed concern that the measure could lead to a "crusade against tourism."

To learn more about why Girona has become one of Europe's cycling capitals, listen to this episode of our podcast Filling the Sink.