British tourists issued Spain holiday warning over new 'ban' this summer
The current holiday warning comes as authorities in the holiday hotspot take stringent measures to tackle over-tourism.
British tourists planning a holiday in the Spanish region of Catalonia have been issued a warning as the European country battles its ongoing water crisis.
During Catalonia's dry season, the drought-affected region is preparing to implement water restrictions on tourists.
The Catalonian government plans to enforce a limit of 100 litres (26 gallons) of water per day for each tourist staying in hotels.
These restrictions will be imposed if domestic water consumption is not reduced.
Barcelona, the second-largest city in Spain, consumes 160 litres of water per resident per day.
According to the city's hotel guild, the average tourist in Barcelona used approximately 163 litres of water daily in 2022, with luxury hotels recording usage exceeding 240 litres per day.
It is worth noting that these restrictions do not cover water usage for filling swimming pools in the region.
The Catalan government has relaxed regulations that previously banned the refilling of swimming pools with fresh water.
According to the new rule, privately-owned swimming pools can now be refilled during severe drought conditions if they are designated as "climate refuges" open to residents seeking relief from the heat.
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The recent rainy spring season has provided some respite, with reservoir levels in Barcelona and neighboring regions increasing from 15 percent to 18 percent.
It was recently reported how Brits in Spain were furious after an upmarket resort cut off their water.
The Sotogrande area in Costa del Sol reportedly cut off water supply overnight, leaving tourists and expats without the essentials to shower, cook, or clean.
Authorities in the region implemented an emergency water shut-off from 9pm to 7am starting Wednesday, citing a severe drought that has led to a critical shortage of water resources.
The current holiday warning comes as authorities in the holiday hotspot have taken stringent measures to tackle the over-tourism.
It has been reported that the Spanish government’s tourism agency - Turespaña - is set to conduct formal nationwide research into whether Majorca, the Balearics and other holiday favourites recieve more tourists than they can handle.
Two waves of surveys in August and November will be used to collect evidence from locals, after which a strategy will be implemented to “solve or mitigate” the issues, according to Spanish news outlet Majorca Daily Bulletin.
