A popular destination in northern Spain has rolled out a system as a means of monitoring tourist numbers. A complete network of sensors that track mobile phone signals has been established to keep track of the town’s visitors.
Officials in the picturesque Catalan town of Girona have installed nine detectors throughout Bari Vell, which is a medieval district popular with tourists, that will count the number of sightseers and map out where they go. This Catalan city is made up of historic buildings and cobbled alleys, and was also a filming destination for Game of Thrones.
About 150,000 inhabitants live in Girona, which is hoping not to encourage less tourism, but to encourage smarter tourism. The sensors will run for a full year, through May 2026, and the results will be influential in shaping future events and infrastructure upgrades.
The devices will be able to term whether passers-by are tourists or locals, by looking at mobile phone signals. They will also be able to gather what routes people are taking through the town, and for how long they are staying in each part.
Girona’s local council has insisted that all the data gathered will be anonymous, with any information used only to provide authorities a better understanding of tourists’ typical patterns.
The deputy mayor of Girona, Gemma Geis, said: “We will be able to adapt events to see if one area needs more promotion than another and to improve the balance between locals and visitors.”
The Menja’t Gurona project, which received a grant via the EUrope Union, is funding the sensors.
Officials are optimisitc that the investment of more than €20,000 will allow Girona to become a “smart tourist” destination at a time of growing anti-tourist sentiment across the entirety of Spain.
In 2024 alone, the Girona region saw more than 8.5 million visitors travel to experience it, with the new system officials will be able to see where the crowding spikes, and shine a light on any hidden gems the tourists might be missing out on.
Cities around the globe have been using tech to tackle the ups and downs of tourism. Girona’s win with the new sensor system could inspire others to adopt similar tools, proving that travel can still boost local economies while keeping everyday life peaceful and undisturbed for the residents who call it home.