Barcelona Takes Bold Steps Against Overtourism by Closing Cruise Terminals
Barcelona, in a landmark move, has announced plans to shut down two of its seven cruise terminals by 2025. This aggressive measure is a part of the city’s strategy to combat the issue of overtourism. The closure will bring down the port’s capacity from 37,000 to 31,000 passengers at a time, marking a historic moment as it’s the first time that limits have been placed on cruise ship growth in the city.
The Port of Barcelona, which holds the distinction of being Europe’s largest cruise port, handled 1.6 million cruise passengers in transit in 2024. This decision comes in the wake of a 21% increase in cruise ship calls and a 20% surge in passengers to 1.2 million people in the first five months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.
The €185 million public-private investment plan includes the demolition of three aging terminals on Adossat Wharf and the construction of a new, state-of-the-art facility capable of handling 7,000 passengers daily. Additionally, the agreement also funds studies on cruise passenger movement patterns and infrastructure upgrades, including onshore power supply to reduce emissions.
“For the first time in history, limits are being placed on the growth of cruise ships in the city,” said Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni. The move is part of broader anti-tourism measures, including a total ban on short-term rentals by 2029.
Source: CNN