Catalonia is set to increase tourism taxes by the end of 2025, affecting a range of accommodations from campsites to luxury hotels.
The move, aimed at addressing overtourism and housing challenges, will see visitors paying between €1.20 and €6 per day across most of the region.
In Barcelona, where tourism pressures are particularly pronounced, additional charges will range from €2 per day for campsite guests to €7 for those staying in high-end hotels. Combined with other city-based levies, some visitors could pay as much as €15 per night in taxes.
David Cid, a parliamentary spokesperson, defended the increase as a reasonable measure, noting that higher-end travelers are unlikely to be deterred by the added cost.
“A person who comes to Catalonia paying €400 or €500 for a night in a hotel can pay €7 more,” Cid stated in an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.
According to a report by Travel Tomorrow, the tax hike also extends to cruise passengers, a segment that has faced scrutiny for its impact on Barcelona’s infrastructure.
Cruise tourists staying overnight in the city will be charged up to €6, while those whose ships remain docked for more than 24 hours will incur a €4 nightly fee. The measures follow growing concerns that cruise traffic contributes to overcrowding in the city center.
Authorities expect the increased fees to generate €200 million annually, more than doubling the revenue collected from the region’s tourism tax in 2024.
A quarter of these funds will be allocated to housing initiatives, a critical issue for residents facing rising rental costs.
Over the past decade, rental prices in Catalonia have surged by 70%, while wages have not kept pace. Additionally, officials cite strain on local resources such as water as a driving factor behind the tax increase.
The move comes amid wider tensions over tourism’s impact in Spain. Anti-tourism protests have occurred in various regions, with graffiti and demonstrations reflecting local frustration.
In response, some areas have imposed stricter regulations on short-term rentals, and authorities have introduced higher purchase taxes on properties bought by non-EU residents.
While these measures are intended to balance tourism’s economic benefits with its social and environmental costs, it remains uncertain whether they will significantly alter visitor behavior.
Spain welcomed a record-breaking 94 million international tourists in 2024, making it the second most-visited country globally, just behind France.