Barcelona’s New Tourism Protests, Hotel Labor Strikes and Attracting Indian Tourists

Skift Take

Today’s podcast looks at Barcelona’s latest tourism beef, U.S. hotel labor unrest, and making food Indian travelers like to eat.

Rashaad Jorden

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, October 15, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. 

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Episode Notes

Thousands of Barcelona residents took to the streets this past Sunday to demand the city stop hosting the America’s Cup sailing competition and other huge tourism events. It’s the latest of large-scale protests in Spain against mass tourism, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.

Habtemariam notes protestors burned a replica of the America’s Cup trophy at the end of the demonstration. The group, “No to the America’s Cup,” which organized the protest, alleges the city council and event organizers have misled the public about the number of visitors and economic benefits of the America’s Cup. 

The group also argues the event would contribute to an increase in pollution and a surge in rents. 

Next, roughly 5,000 hotel workers are on strike across the U.S., with recent walkouts occurring at hotels in Boston and Seattle, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. 

More than 600 workers in Boston, including staff at the city’s largest hotel, joined strikes over the weekend. In addition, 300 workers in Seattle walked off their hotel jobs on Monday. Hotel workers union United Here said roughly 40,000 hotel workers in 22 North American markets have authorized potential walkouts before the end of the year. 

Finally, a growing number of destinations are looking to attract Indian tourists by increasing the number of locations serving Indian food, reports Senior Research Analyst Varsha Arora.

More than half of Indian travelers consider having access to Indian food crucial, according to Booking.com’s Travel Confidence Index 2023. A report published last year revealed a 25% growth in Indian restaurants globally over the past five years. Arora cites Dubai and Abu Dhabi as two destinations where Indian restaurants have become a staple.