Those who are planning a summer holiday abroad in two European countries may want to rethink about their travel plans as some popular holiday destinations are cracking down on tourists with new rules.
Spain and Portugal, two extremely popular destinations for Irish holiday goers during the summer, are bringing a string of rules that might negatively impact sun holiday plans.
Here is everything you need to know about Spain and Portugal’s new tourist rules:
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Spain
Spain has announced plans that would see the number of tourists visiting the country limited.
Announcing the plans, Barcelona mayor Ada Cola said that the popular southern Spanish city intends to cut back on the number of tourists visiting the city on cruise ships.
It comes after restrictions were brought in on the number of new hotels in the city. Plans to expand the airport were also scrapped to help lower the numbers entering the city.
The new rules implemented in Barcelona follow suit with the likes of Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, where there has been a suggestion to cap the number of tourists visiting the county as well as having an "absolute ceiling" for future numbers.
Speaking to the Times, Cola said: “there has to be a sense of limits and order” when it comes to tourism as some areas are exceeding their limits.
"The great challenge is tourism. Barcelona is a very densely populated city, hemmed in between the mountains and the sea, with restricted space,” she added.
"We can’t take infinite numbers of tourists. There has to be a sense of limits and order."
Portugal
Spain isn’t the only country that is implementing rules that could impact tourists during the summer. Portugal is looking to reduce the number of Airbnb’s in a bid to help stop the housing crisis ongoing in the country.
Recently, the country announced laws that would end new licences for rentals like Airbnb. However, new licenses can be granted in rural areas without urban pressure.
For tourists, this means that the amount of accommodation available during the summer will be considerably reduced, so if you are planning on visiting Portugal as a holiday destination this summer, be sure to book in advance to avoid accommodation shortages.
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