A viral video can undo years of brand-building in a matter of hours.
That is the reality facing businesses that rent their premises to third-party organisers. Whether you operate a spa, hotel, conference centre, entertainment venue, club, coworking space, or event facility, customers rarely separate the actions of an organiser from the reputation of the venue itself.
When allegations of antisemitism, racism, religious discrimination, homophobia, or other forms of exclusion emerge during an event, the venue often finds itself at the centre of the controversy regardless of who made the decisions.
The recent incident involving a Jewish lesbian couple who were reportedly denied entry to a private event in Barcelona highlights a challenge every venue operator should understand.
The venue at the centre of the controversy was Sauna Thermas, a Barcelona-based spa and social venue that describes itself as an inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community. According to a statement published following the incident, Sauna Thermas said it “deeply regrets and unequivocally condemns” what occurred and distanced itself from the organisers of the private event involved. The venue stated that the organisers would no longer be permitted to hold events on its premises. More information about the venue can be found on its website at https://www.saunaspases.com/saunathermas/. The Marketing Blog contacted Sauna Thermas seeking comment on its relationship with the event organisers, the venue’s responsibilities when third-party events are accused of discrimination, and whether any policy changes have been implemented since the incident. No response had been received at the time of publication.
The story is not simply about discrimination.
It is about brand protection, crisis management, HR policies, legal exposure, tourism reputation, and how a single incident can affect an entire city.
Why Customers Blame the Venue First
Many businesses rely on venue hire revenue.
The organiser books the event.
The organiser controls attendance.
The organiser manages guests.
However, visitors see something very different.
They see:
- The venue’s branding
- The venue’s staff
- The venue’s security team
- The venue’s facilities
- The venue’s reputation
As a result, public criticism often focuses on the venue before the organiser.
For marketing teams, that creates a serious problem.
A reputation that took years to build can be damaged overnight by the actions of an external organisation.
Who Could Be Liable?
Many venue owners believe a signed venue-hire agreement transfers all responsibility to the organiser.
The legal position is often more complicated.
Depending on the facts, scrutiny may potentially extend to:
- Event organisers
- Venue operators
- Venue owners
- Security contractors
- Individual employees
- Third-party contractors
Investigators may ask:
- Did venue staff participate?
- Did management know what was happening?
- Could venue employees have intervened?
- Were venue policies followed?
- Was somebody treated differently because of religion or another protected characteristic?
Even where a venue is ultimately not liable, legal complaints, investigations, and reputational damage can be costly.
What Does Spanish Law Say?
Spain has legal protections against discrimination based on religion and other protected characteristics.
The Spanish Constitution guarantees equality before the law and prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, birth, sex, and other personal circumstances.
Spain also has anti-discrimination legislation and criminal provisions covering hate crimes and conduct motivated by religious hostility.
If authorities concluded that someone was excluded solely because they were Jewish or because of a visible Jewish symbol, investigators could potentially examine whether anti-discrimination laws or hate-crime provisions were relevant.
Whether criminal or civil action would be appropriate depends on the evidence and specific facts.
For businesses, the key point is simple.
Discrimination allegations are not merely a public relations issue. They may also attract legal and regulatory scrutiny.
The Contract Clauses Every Venue Should Have
Businesses that hire out premises should regularly review their agreements.
Important clauses include:
Anti-Discrimination Requirements
Organisers should agree to comply with equality legislation and venue policies.
Immediate Termination Rights
Management should retain authority to suspend or terminate events if discriminatory conduct occurs.
Indemnity Clauses
Organisers should accept responsibility for claims arising from their actions wherever legally appropriate.
Insurance Requirements
Businesses should require evidence of suitable insurance before confirming bookings.
Reputation Protection Clauses
Venues should reserve the right to refuse future bookings where organisers create significant reputational harm.
The HR Policies Every Venue Needs
Contracts alone are not enough.
Employees are often the first line of defence during a developing crisis.
Equality and Anti-Discrimination Training
Training should cover:
- Antisemitism
- Racism
- Religious discrimination
- Islamophobia
- Homophobia
- Disability discrimination
- Harassment
Staff should understand that personal political beliefs must never influence customer treatment.
Escalation Procedures
Employees should know exactly what to do when concerns arise.
An effective process includes:
- Identifying potential discrimination.
- Reporting concerns immediately.
- Preserving evidence.
- Escalating issues to management.
- Determining whether intervention is required.
Media Policies
Employees should never issue unofficial comments during a developing incident.
Only designated spokespersons should communicate with journalists or make public statements.
The PR Lessons Every Business Should Learn
When discrimination allegations emerge, silence is rarely an effective strategy.
Businesses should:
- Acknowledge the issue quickly.
- Confirm an investigation is underway.
- Condemn discrimination clearly.
- Explain the relationship with the organiser.
- Outline corrective actions.
- Review procedures.
Customers understand that organisations cannot control every action of a third-party organiser.
What they expect is a clear response when problems occur.
The Hidden Victim: Barcelona’s Reputation
One of the most significant lessons from this controversy is that the reputational damage may extend far beyond the venue involved.
After leaving the venue, one of the women reportedly remarked:
“Welcome to Barcelona.”
That comment highlights a growing challenge for tourism boards and destination marketers.
When incidents go viral, many viewers stop distinguishing between the organiser, the venue, and the city.
Instead, they remember the location.
Barcelona.
The organiser’s name may be forgotten.
The venue’s name may be forgotten.
The city remains attached to the story.
Why Tourism Authorities Should Care
Barcelona has spent decades building one of Europe’s strongest tourism brands.
The city promotes itself as:
- Inclusive
- Diverse
- Welcoming
- International
- Culturally vibrant
Millions of tourists visit every year because of that image.
However, viral incidents can undermine years of work.
For some international viewers, the story may become less about a private event and more about perceptions of Barcelona itself.
That creates challenges for:
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Attractions
- Event venues
- Investors
- Conference organisers
- Tourism businesses
Negative headlines rarely remain isolated to one organisation.
Spain’s Antisemitism Challenge
The incident also arrives at a time when antisemitism has become a growing concern across Europe.
Jewish organisations have reported increases in antisemitic incidents in several countries since October 2023.
Spain has attracted particular attention because some international surveys have suggested antisemitic stereotypes remain more widespread than many would like to see.
Jewish organisations have also reported increases in antisemitic incidents, abuse, and online hostility in recent years.
This does not mean Spain is an antisemitic country.
Millions of visitors travel to Spain every year without experiencing discrimination.
Nor do the actions of a small group represent the views of the wider Spanish population.
However, reputation is shaped by perception as much as reality.
When international audiences see a viral video involving a Jewish visitor being challenged over a Jewish symbol, some will inevitably connect that incident with broader concerns about antisemitism in Europe.
For tourism authorities and local businesses, that creates a serious communications challenge.
Tourism Authorities Asked for Comment
Turisme de Barcelona was approached for comment regarding the incident and its potential impact on Barcelona’s reputation as an international tourism destination.
Questions included whether international audiences may associate the actions shown in the widely circulated video with the city itself rather than solely with the organisers involved, and what message the organisation would like to send to Jewish visitors considering travel to Barcelona.
The Marketing Blog also asked whether destination marketing organisations face additional challenges when allegations of antisemitism attract global attention through social media.
No response was received before publication.
Should Turisme de Barcelona provide a response after publication, this article will be updated accordingly.
Why Authorities Need To Respond
When incidents attract international attention, local authorities, tourism organisations, and business leaders should respond quickly.
The objective is not to defend unacceptable behaviour.
The objective is to make clear that the actions of a small number of individuals do not represent the values of an entire city or country.
Without that distinction, social media frequently creates its own narrative.
For destination marketers, reputation management is no longer just about advertising campaigns.
It is about protecting trust.
The Bottom Line
Every venue owner should assume that a third-party event can become their problem.
If discrimination allegations emerge inside your building, customers are unlikely to study contractual arrangements before forming an opinion.
They will judge your response.
Businesses should regularly review:
- Venue contracts
- Equality policies
- HR procedures
- Staff training
- Crisis communication plans
- Incident reporting systems
Because in today’s digital environment, the question is not simply whether an incident occurred.
The question is whether your organisation was prepared when the cameras started rolling.
Author
Mr Corry is publisher of The Marketing Blog and has spent more than 30 years covering marketing, media, business reputation, communications strategy, and brand management. He has managed over 40 trade publications and regularly writes about crisis communications, tourism marketing, customer experience, and corporate reputation.