The tourist tax in Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, is set to surge to as much as £12 per night as the regional government moves to tackle mass tourism
Your holiday stay in Barcelona could soon become significantly more expensive. Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, is set to introduce a tourist tax of up to £12 per night as part of an effort to combat overtourism.
The region aims to double its tourist tax rates by the end of 2025, with at least a quarter of the revenue going towards housing initiatives.
David Cid, a spokesperson for the Comuns parliamentary group, told Cadena Ser: “A person who comes to Catalonia paying €400 or €500 for a night in a hotel can pay €7 more. “We have a record number of tourists, and the new figures we are talking about for the tax do not impose any limits” [on tourism or the arrival of visitors].”
This follows a series of protests in Barcelona, including one against mass tourism in July 2024 and another in November calling for lower housing rents due to concerns over short-term rentals and gentrification.
Currently, Barcelona levies a charge of around £4.70 per night for guests in four-star hotels, while those in five-star establishments are charged £6.10 per night.
The city’s tourist tax was raised from £2.68 to £3.30 per night in 2024, and the cap was later increased to £6.60.
Other areas in Catalonia also have the option to increase the tax by implementing a surcharge similar to Barcelona’s. However, the move has been met with strong resistance from the hotel industry, particularly in Barcelona, where the tax is already one of the highest in Europe, reports the Express.
The Barcelona Hotel Association has issued a warning that the proposed increase could potentially harm the city’s competitiveness, particularly in relation to business tourism. A spokesperson for the Comuns highlighted that similar measures are being implemented across Europe.
Mayor Jaume Collboni confirmed that a considered tax increase is on the cards, although no specific timeline has been provided as yet.