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Catalunya doubled their tourist tax.
Catalonia has approved a new law that doubles the tax on tourists in the entire region. It will come into force from April 1.
Tourist taxes in Barcelona, the capital of the region, jumped 100 percent yesterday.
For luxury five-star hotels the nightly tourists tax doubled from €3.5 to €7 yesterday.
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Outside Barcelona, the tourist tax will rise gradually, reaching up to €4.50 per night between April 2026 and March 2027, and increasing further to €6 per night thereafter.
Under the new regulation, Barcelona City Council will also be allowed to raise its maximum tourist tax surcharge from €4 to €8.
The increase will be phased in gradually, at one euro per year, reaching the €8 cap by 2029.
Other city councils in the region will also be permitted to levy their own surcharge of up to €4.
A quarter of the revenue from the tourist tax is allocated to affordable housing initiatives, while the remaining 75% will go towards the Fomento del Turismo, which funds services such as security, cleaning and other tourism infrastructure.
The PSC, ERC, and Comuns parties all supported the new law.
PSC delegate Susana Martinez said the tourist tax does not deter visitors and described the increase as ‘common sense,’ noting that it helps fund tourism-related public services.
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Vox MPs including Javier Ramirez have criticised the new legislation.
He said that ‘people are buying into the narrative of tourismphobia and fiscal extortion’.
Ramirez criticised also the decision to delegate 25% of the income towards housing. No fault at all”.
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