Barcelona’s most popular tourist attraction in 2022 was the Park Güell, registering approximately 4.7 million visitors. With a difference of around 879 thousand visitors, La Sagrada Família followed second in the ranking that year. Both monuments, created by the world-renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, are landmarks of the city.
The Basilica: Gaudí’s most famous work
The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, as this Catholic temple is officially known, was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1984. Its construction had begun around a century earlier but remains unfinished since the project is solely funded by private donors. The completion date, planned for 2026 as commemoration for the 100 years of Gaudí’s death, will have to be postponed due to the suspension of the construction works during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Prior to the global health crisis, La Sagrada Família received more than 4.5 million visitors annually.
COVID-19 impact on tourism in Barcelona
As a result of being a major tourist hotspot for travelers worldwide, Barcelona’s tourism sector experienced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the number of tourists staying in Barcelona’s hotels decreased by over seven million during the global health crisis. Due to lower tourist demand, the number of hotels open in Barcelona also contracted, from 434 in 2019 to 106 in 2020. With less than 13 million passengers recorded at Barcelona Airport in 2020, down from roughly 52 million travelers in 2019, the airport reached a two-decade low in traveler numbers during the pandemic.
Leading tourist attractions in Barcelona, Spain in 2022, based on number of visitors
(in 1,000s)
Based on data provided by Institut de Cultura de Barcelona de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona, Oficina Tècnica de Parcs Naturals, and the facilities and places of interest.
Figures were rounded.
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OTB. (February 16, 2022). Leading tourist attractions in Barcelona, Spain in 2022, based on number of visitors (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/457335/barcelona-s-most-visited-tourist-attractions-spain/
OTB. "Leading tourist attractions in Barcelona, Spain in 2022, based on number of visitors (in 1,000s)." Chart. February 16, 2022. Statista. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/457335/barcelona-s-most-visited-tourist-attractions-spain/
OTB. (2022). Leading tourist attractions in Barcelona, Spain in 2022, based on number of visitors (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 10, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/457335/barcelona-s-most-visited-tourist-attractions-spain/
OTB. "Leading Tourist Attractions in Barcelona, Spain in 2022, Based on Number of Visitors (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 Feb 2022, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/457335/barcelona-s-most-visited-tourist-attractions-spain/
OTB, Leading tourist attractions in Barcelona, Spain in 2022, based on number of visitors (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/457335/barcelona-s-most-visited-tourist-attractions-spain/ (last visited November 10, 2024)
Leading tourist attractions in Barcelona, Spain in 2022, based on number of visitors (in 1,000s) [Graph], OTB, February 16, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/457335/barcelona-s-most-visited-tourist-attractions-spain/