Despite the grey and gloomy view out of my London window making it pretty difficult to believe right now; the sunny season is fast approaching. And it’s almost time to jam-pack our diaries with all sorts of summery shenanigans and seasonal city breaks. But before you start rummaging through Skyscanner in search of cheap and cheerful flights, it might be worth noting that a major European hotspot is doubling its tourist tax soon, and it’s about to get a whole lot pricier to spend the night there.
Barcelona tourist tax
In a bid to reduce tourist numbers and raise funds for the ongoing housing and affordability crisis, Barcelona is set to hike up its tourist tax in April (next month). The Catalan capital is one of the most highly-frequented cities in Europe and its regional authorities are introducing the new accommodation levies after overall visitor numbers rose to 15.8 million last year.
How much will the tourist tax cost?
Under the new regulations, the tourist tax for an overnight stay in a short-term holiday apartment will leap from €6.25 to a maximum of €12.50 per night. Hotel levies are set to see an even bigger increase, soaring from between €5 and €7.50 to between €10 and €15 (depending on the rating of the hotel). Cruise ship passengers, however, are set to continue paying just €6 a night.
Back in 2024, it was announced that Barcelona was planning to ban short-term holiday apartments by 2028 due to the severe housing crisis that the city is currently facing. Barcelona was also the backdrop to some of Europe’s largest anti-tourism protests last year.
The additional money made from this increased tourist tax will supposedly go towards a soon-to-launch ‘Tourism Reinvestment Fund’. Estimated to earn the city around €100 million, the fund will be used to improve the likes of public transport, security, and sustainability initiatives in the city. And according to global media outlet, Travel Tomorrow, at least 25% of the pot will go towards converting short-term rentals into permanent housing for residents.
