As we draw nearer and nearer to Christmas, people are looking forward to getting home and spending time with loved ones. In the UK, we’ve already been warned that Christmas travel chaos is predicted for both drivers and train passengers. However, if you’re planning on shooting off to Madrid for the festive season, be aware: the city will be under a ‘black level’ alert as the influx of visitors is expected to create disruption.
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But just how popular is Spain as a holidaydestination? Well, it turns out the country has experienced a 20% boost in numbers of visitors since last year. And the authorities have had to put measures in place to avoid Christmas crowding from causing mayhem.
Spain’s massive boost in visitors
More than 74 million people visited Spain last year, and tourism is a massive part of the country’s economy. Acting Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Héctor Gómez told Euronews:
The tourism sector is one of the main economic engines of our country.
Spain continues to create jobs linked to tourism activities and does so in an increasingly robust way and always under the motto of quality, stability and excellence.
However, the Spanish capital is set to be all too popular this festive season. Certain measures will be in place to keep the crowds under control.
The crowd control measures in Madrid
There will reportedly be over 1,200 police and ‘additional agents’ on duty in the city to help manage the high number of people on the streets. Some of the most popular areas, including the streets of Preciados and El Carmen, the Plaza del Celenque, the Calle Alcalá near the Plaza de Cibeles and the Gran Vía could all be closed at some point. When an area is shut down, the idea will be that people may leave but will not be allowed to enter.
The authorities are also using technology to get an accurate idea of how many people are in any place at a given time: drones will be used to survey the situation. These measures may seem pretty draconian, but the influx of visitors is to be extreme. Those most likely to be spending their Christmas in Madrid include the German, the Nordic and - of course - the British.
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Sources used:
Express: The European city that is under 'black level' alert over chaotic overcrowding
EuroWeekly: Madrid Announces Black Level Alert
