In a move to generate more revenue from short-term visitors, Barcelona’s mayor, Jaume Collboni, has announced plans to significantly increase the tourist tax for cruise ship passengers who stay in the city for less than 12 hours. Currently, the tax stands at €7 per day. Mayor Collboni’s initiative aims to boost the city’s income from these transient tourists.
The proposed increase in the tourist tax is part of a broader strategy to manage the city’s tourism industry more sustainably. This follows Collboni’s earlier declaration to ban short-term rentals of private housing to tourists from 2028. The city plans to revoke licenses for such rentals, affecting over 10,000 apartments.
In 2023, Spain welcomed over 85 million tourists, marking a 19% increase from the previous year. Barcelona alone saw 26 million visitors who spent at least one night in a hotel. The surge in tourism has sparked significant discontent among residents, leading to widespread protests in July. Demonstrations occurred not only in mainland Spain but also on the Balearic and Canary Islands. In Barcelona, protests were particularly intense, with demonstrators using water pistols to spray tourists and sealing hotel doors with tape.
