The new cultural facility explains how was life in Manresa, central Catalonia, during the Middle Age. The new centre aims to generate tourism for the city. It was unveiled last weekend.
Lloret de Mar is one of the most popular tourist destinations along the Costa Brava yet some tourists themselves are tearing this beach resort apart. Clashes with police, particularly over the last month, have sparked calls for greater security and a crack-down on the drinking culture that has fostered in the town.
Catalonia consolidates its position as the first tourist destination within Spain, with 26% of all visits. International tourism within Catalonia increases in July by 5.1% compared to last year.
The CNA talks to the city's visitors to see what they really think of the tourist services. According to the Barcelona Tourism Statistics division, since 1990, visitors have increased from under 2 million to over 7 million and the number of those staying overnight has increased from 3 million to 14 million
Les Rambles stands out as key attraction in Barcelona connecting Plaça Catalunya to Christopher Columbus at Port Vell and the Barri Gòtic to El Raval. Yet in recent years it has increasingly gained a bad reputation amongst visitors and locals alike. CNA talks to the tourists who continue to line the street.
Visitors from the United Kingdom were the highest contributors in June, spending 1229 million. Germans follow, with a total expenditure of 900 million euros while French tourists, with 514 million euros, increased their cumulative expenditure by a surprising 16.4%
Barcelona, the so called 'Pick pocketing Capital of Europe' takes small steps to changing its reputation by ensuring a police presence on the metro. For the last three years, the estimated 150 thieves who operate on Barcelona's metro have been met by the lone efforts of Eliana Guerrero, a native Colombian who has made it her mission to warn the city against the dangers of pick pockets.
The Costa Brava received 6,5 million visitors in 2009. According to latest estimations of Costa Brava Tourism Council, up to 3 million tourists stayed at coastal apartments. The Costa Brava brand is currently the second most recognised destination for foreign tourists, just beaten by Barcelona.
The Irish company has accused the local administration of not honouring current agreements, in place until 2013. The Catalan President has assured that the Government has absolutely “fulfilled” the current agreements and that the “problems started when these agreements wanted to be modified”. The low-cost airline is in a dispute with the Catalan Government over its continuity in Girona-Costa Brava; Ryanair is asking for an extra 7.5 million euros. The Catalan Minister for Transportation considered Ryanair’s attitude as “blackmail”. The Government announced this evening that it will freeze current negotiations with Ryanair until it has the “assurance” that the Irish company “fulfils what it signed”.
A pilot programme set up by the Catalan Police in one of Barcelona’s districts will enable tourists to report minor thefts on city streets from their hotels, without needing to go to a police station. The programme will be in place on a trial basis in July and August in 18 hotels. If successful, it could be applied to all Barcelona hotels.
Thanks to a five-year contract, the Catalan Government undertakes the enlargement of the airport terminal and Neilson-Thomas Cook agrees to include ski resorts in the Lleida Pyrenees as part of its winter holiday offer.
The new art museum will focus on Catalan painting and will display parts of the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection. The city council approved the excutive project to build the Thyssen Museum. The project will cost 15 million euros (3 less than initially planned) and will restore an old cork factory.
‘Blue flags’ recognise clean beaches, with quality services, and are awarded at international level by the Foundation for Environmental Education and the United Nations agencies for Tourism and the Environment. In Catalonia 83.42 kilometres of its beaches have been awarded a blue flag.
Tourists from Eastern Europe will increase their presence in Catalonia this summer season, according to experts in the sector. Girona is now linked with 60 destinations while at the same Ryanair is reducing its flights from the airport and in a dispute with the Catalan Government over subsidies. Spanair will operate Ryanair’s flight to Madrid if no other airline does it.
The measure is a reaction to the large number of people, many of them tourists, who in the summer months only wear swim suits across the city or walk with their naked torso, even in the underground. The area next to the more than 5 kilometres of beaches is excluded from the ban, although complete nudity will also be banned. Four weeks before the municipal elections, the two main parties at Barcelona City Council have agreed on the measures.