Madrid experienced a significant rise in tourism over the past year, prompting the city to implement a severe black level measure due to the high number of visitors during the festive season.
This measure could involve shutting down streets in the city center due to overcrowding.
Madrid has enforced the ‘black level’ measure because of the overwhelming number of visitors during Christmas. This measure is reserved for exceptional overcrowding in public spaces and transportation to ensure safety and manage city mobility effectively.
To manage congestion, police will utilize drones to monitor crowded streets, closing them once capacity is reached, allowing exits but not entries. Around 450 municipal police, with up to 850 more on busy days, will oversee the city. Special measures are anticipated to affect both public and private transportation during the festive season.
Key Areas
Madrid County Council highlights several key areas, including Preciados, El Carmen streets, Plaza del Celenque, Calle Alcalá near Plaza de Cibeles, and Gran Vía, all significantly affected. Sol station of Metro de Madrid and Renfe Cercanías network are closed from 6pm to 9pm until December 9.
Skyrocketing Spain Tourism
Tourism in Spain is growing steadily beyond December. In the first 10 months of 2022, there was an 18.2% increase with 74.7 million tourists visiting.
Even in non-typical months like October and November, there were notable increases: 8.17 million and 3.3 million tourists, respectively.
Countries like Germany, France, the UK, Russia, and the Nordic regions contributed significantly to this growth.
Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, emphasizes a shift towards more sustainable and less seasonal tourism, marking a transformation in Spain’s tourism landscape.
SOURCE: Madrid Could Shut Down Due to Festival Overcrowding
