Synopsis
San Sebastian’s unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and culinary excellence makes it a must-visit destination for travelers looking to experience the best that the Basque Country and Spain have to offer. Whether you’re seeking a vibrant city getaway or a tranquil escape into nature, San Sebastián has something to offer everyone.
The Basque Country is one of Europe’s oldest cultures, and its heritage has helped shape the glorious Spanish city of San Sebastian. It’s not hard to see why people flock there, but the city will soon be implementing some controls to try and limit tourist numbers. One such plan is to ban hotels.
San Sebastian, a gorgeous Spanish city in Europe, is planning to ban the construction of new hotels in the city. The city, with the oldest cultures in Europe, remains flooded with tourists and suffers from overtourism. Therefore, the government is planning to limit tourist numbers and ban new hotels.
The officials are planning to ban the opening of any new hotels or tourist apartments to promote sustainable tourism. But it’s not the first destination in Europe to take such a huge decision.
But don’t worry, the city isn’t just binning all the ones already in existence, nor are they trying to boot out tourists altogether. City officials want to ban the opening of any new hotels or tourist apartments to promote a more sustainable approach to tourism.
And it’s not the first place in Europe, or indeed Spain, to do so. Palma de Mallorca became the first city in Spain to ban Airbnbs in 2018. And this year, Florence in Italy announced it would be banning all new Airbnbs and short-let rentals. Then you have the likes of Seville, which recently announced a ban on stag and hen dos. There are plenty of other destinations that want tourists to stay away where that came from.
Before San Sebastian, in 2018, Palma de Mallorca became the first city in Spain to ban Airbnbs. In 2023, Florence in Italy also announced a ban on all new Airbnbs. Seville also announced a ban on stag and hen dos. And there are several destinations that want tourists to stay away.
Eneko Goia, San Sebastian’s Mayor, said that there are some places in the city that have been declared as ‘saturated’. As per the mayor, the supply of holiday accommodation for tourists is plentiful in the city.
The General Urban Planning Plan, a report on the state of the city, also showed negative impacts of tourism in the city which included a steep decline in the food quality and culture.
Even the city residents have become sick over tourism. They are coming up with anti-tourism graffiti with messages like “go home” across monuments and bridges. With these measures, the city is hoping to make big changes and trying to make it liveable for locals.
San Sebastian’s Mayor, Eneko Goia, said that some of the city’s areas will be declared as ‘saturated’. According to him, the supply of holiday accommodation for tourists is already plentiful.
The General Urban Planning Plan, a report on the state of the city, outlined some of the negative impacts that have been caused by tourism, including a decline in the quality of food and culture.
Residents have become so sick of the number of tourists that anti-tourism graffiti has also appeared in San Sebastian, with messages such as ‘go home’ sprawled across monuments and bridges.
Hopefully, the measure will make the city more liveable for locals. It should also help out existing hotels financially, as they’ll almost certainly experience higher occupancy rates and be to charge a higher fee.
About San Sebastián:
San Sebastián is noted for being home to myriad pretty museums, including the San Telmo Museoa, showcasing Basque history and culture, and the Chillida-Leku Museum, dedicated to the renowned Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida.
The city is also renowned for its architectural styles, including Belle Époque buildings, modernist structures, and contemporary designs. The city’s landmarks, such as the Kursaal Congress Centre and the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, are known of its architectural diversity.
