Public policies and overtourism in urban destinations: a comparative analysis between Barcelona and Palma

Abstract

Overtourism is a growing phenomenon in many destinations that has placed the management of tourist flows among its main challenges. The analysis of the cases of Barcelona and Palma, two cities that stand out among Spanish urban destinations, allows us to review the measures adopted by public administrations to manage this process. The results show the need to move towards integrated tourism governance to improve the management of urban destinations. To this end, a smart tourism planning that also serves to guide the recovery of the sector in the post-COVID era.