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There may soon be a fee implemented for tourists visiting a popular destination in Spain.
Visitors to Seville may be required to pay a charge in order to visit the Plaza de España, a famous location that was featured in the 1999 movie “The Phantom Menace” from the Star Wars series. The square is a popular cultural destination, regularly hosting events such as concerts, plays, and fashion shows.
The government officials announced that the strategy aims to manage the amount of tourists in a publicly accessible area.
The Mayor of Jose Luis Sanz shared on social media platform X that we intend to shut down Plaza de Espana and implement a fee for tourists to support its preservation and secure its well-being. The post also included a video displaying the absence of tiles, harm done to the facades, and street vendors taking up space in the alcoves and stairs.
The Plaza, designed to showcase Spanish culture, is made up of a semicircular Neo-Moorish palace with tall towers on either side. It is surrounded by a moat and has four bridges for access. This complex was built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition and features intricate tile decorations throughout.
Every day, numerous individuals from different parts of the globe come to see it, either riding in horse-drawn carriages or on foot.
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Seville is known for its population.
Sanz stated that the plan would not affect the free entry for local residents, but some Seville residents who use X were swift to condemn it.
A user wrote, “Implementing a tourism tax for ALL visitors could generate more income with less controversy. It’s important to listen to the public instead of the hotel owners.”
Another person also commented, saying that what people are requesting is a tourism tax and overall control of mass tourism, which is causing harm to our city.
Seville, with a population of 700,000, attracts over three million tourists annually and ranks as the third most popular destination in Spain. Spain is also one of the top tourist destinations globally, with tourism accounting for 13% of its GDP.
Several urban areas are facing difficulty in achieving a balance between necessary tourism and preserving their attractiveness for locals. In an effort to control the influx of daily visitors, the Italian city of Venice will implement a trial fee starting in April.
Source: independent.co.uk
