Spain Aims to Protect Tourists from Deadly Heatwaves

A new study in Nature Medicine on extreme heatwaves paints a stark picture for Spain. Urban areas in the country face significant risks from rising temperatures, it claims. 

Barcelona alone could see around 250,000 heat related deaths by the end of the century, making it the most at risk city in Europe for climate related fatalities, according to the study. 

The city, which hosted over 15 million tourists in 2024, is already seeing rising cases of heatstroke and dehydration in peak summer months, according to a Barcelona City Council health study.

A spokesperson from Spain’s Ministry of Industry and Tourism told Skift that officials are developing a national strategy to counter climate change, including its direct impacts on the tourism industry and visitors.

The spokesperson said the upcoming Spain 2030 sustainable tourism strategy will address climate challenges.

“We are developing measures to address these challenges here in Spain,” the government spokesperson said.

“The creation of mitigation and decarbonization plans as well as adaptation plans for tourist destinations and businesses. At the same time, the State Secretariat for Tourism is in the process of drafting the Spain 2030 Sustainable Tourism Strategy, in which climate change effects are a key focus.”

Can Spain’s Tourism Industry Handle the Heat?

Across Spain, cities are planting more trees, setting up air-conditioned cooling centers, and exploring other ways to protect people.

The Spanish company Meliá Hotels International, which is the largest hotel chain in Spain, said it has carried out “exhaustive research” on the impacts of climate change on their hotels and guests. 

“From 2025 on, we will focus on identifying the actions and investments necessary to develop the company's adaptation plan to mitigate the impacts and strengthen our resilience to the climate risks we have identified,” Juan Ignacio Pardo, Chief Real Estate & Sustainability Officer at Meliá Hotels International, told Skift. 

Pardo said that the company has so far developed a set of preventative measures, such as protocols to carry out in extreme weather situations, such as heat. 

“These are precisely the physical risks with the greatest impact, according to the results. We adopt a proactive approach that makes us better prepared to face any climatic eventuality and protect our customers and employees, as well as our hotel assets."

Spain’s health ministry has also warned of a changing tourism landscape. 

"There’s a definite risk that the zones where there’s most tourism will become less habitable because of more heatwaves and much hotter nights,” Héctor Tejero, head of health and climate change at Spain’s health ministry, said at a press conference last year. 

He added that these conditions could drive tourists away from Spain’s most popular destinations and push up hotel costs, as air conditioning units would need to run for longer. 

Meanwhile, the European Travel Commission is working with travel businesses to train staff in recognizing heatstroke symptoms and handling evacuations - something previously unheard of at beach resorts.

"The plans include training more hotel staff for example in first aid and teaching them evacuation procedures. Every destination is different,” said Teodora Marinska, the organization’s chief operating officer. “Before, only mountain resorts had these plans. Now, we’re seeing it happen in beach towns, islands, and coastal areas where evacuations were never considered necessary.”

Local Governments Take Action

Some regions in Spain aren’t waiting for a national strategy. In Catalonia, officials are urging local governments and travel businesses to guarantee essential services like water, healthcare and transportation during peak tourist seasons. 

Barcelona City Council told Skift that it has plans to adapt to extreme weather.

These include building a climate shelter network and improving areas of shade around the city.

"The measures to address Spain's climate change go beyond tourism. It is understood that whatever is done will help both the citizens who live in the city year-round and visitors as well," Mario Martín Matas, a spokesperson from the council, told Skift.

Skift’s in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift’s editorial team.