Tourists visiting the southern Spanish city of Seville may soon have to pay a ticket to explore the large, impressive Plaza de Espana, the city government has announced, as part of plans to control the volume of tourists flooding the city. public this open space.

“We plan to close Platha de España and charge tourists to finance its maintenance and guarantee its safetyMayor Jose Luis Sant wrote in a post on social media platform X, accompanied by a video showing scenes such as peeling tiles, damaged facades and street vendors occupying corners and steps.

Platha de España is part of a complex built in 1969 as part of the Ibero-American Exhibition, with the aim of reflecting the Spanish character in its architecture and its tiled decorations.

Thousands of people from all over the world visit the square every day, by carriage or on foot.

The venue was turned into a set for the 1999 film Star Wars: The Invisible Menace, and is a focal point of Seville’s cultural life, hosting concerts, plays and fashion shows.

Although Santh made it clear that locals would still be allowed free access, many X users, including residents of Seville, soon expressed their displeasure with the city government’s plan.

“A tourist tax for ALL visitors causes less debate and brings in more revenue. Listen to the people, not the hoteliers,” one user wrote.

Another added: “What people want from you is a tourist tax and general regulation of the mass tourism that is destroying our city.”

With more than 3 million tourists a year and a population of 700,000, Seville is Spain’s third most popular city for visitors.

Many cities struggle to find the balance between much-needed tourism and maintaining their appeal to residents. The Italian city of Venice will introduce a fee on a trial basis from April in order to limit the number of excursions.