From April 1, the gorgeous metropolis cherished by Brits could have one of many highest vacationer taxes in Europe.
La Rambla will be crowded particularly throughout peak vacationer season (Picture: Getty)
A preferred metropolis cherished by Brits might be doubling its vacationer tax from subsequent month, rating it amongst Europe’s priciest for such a cost. Following new laws authorized by the Catalan Parliament, the Barcelona Metropolis Council has introduced that the vacationer tax will double this 12 months and progressively enhance throughout the remainder of Catalonia, reaching twice the present price by 2027.
Efficient from April 1, the doubling of Barcelona’s vacationer tax will coincide with Holy Week (Semana Santa) throughout Easter when town hosts conventional processions and sees a surge in guests. Throughout this time, Barcelona comes alive with processions all through town centre, the honest and blessing of palms on Rambla de Catalunya, and the customized of giving ‘palmes’ and laurel branches to be blessed, alongside the seasonal deal with Mona de Pasqua (Easter cake).
Along with the usual regional tax, municipalities can apply an area surcharge. In Barcelona, the Metropolis Council has elevated this surcharge from €4 (about £3.5) to €5 (£4.3) per evening. The council additionally determined that this surcharge will enhance by one euro yearly till 2029 reaching a most of €8 (£6.9) per evening.
Barcelona welcomed16 million guests in 2025 (Picture: Getty)
Friends at five-star resorts will now pay a complete of €12 (£10.40) per evening, up from €7.50 (£6.50) with the brand new regional tax and the municipal surcharge.
4-star resorts will see the whole payment enhance from €5.70 (£4.90) to €8.40 (roughly £7.30) per evening whereas vacation leases will rise to €9.50 (£8.20) per evening.
Different institutions will now pay €7 (£6) per evening, and cruise passengers will face a tax of €9 (£7.80) for stays longer than 12 hours and €11 (£9.50) for shorter stays. A particular class for youth hostels registered with the Generalitat retains the regional tax at €1 (about £0.90).
Income from the vacationer tax might be cut up, with 25% earmarked for housing insurance policies and 75% allotted to a Tourism Promotion Fund managed by native authorities. The fund will help initiatives starting from financial growth to trade promotion and efforts to scale back the seasonality of tourism, the council mentioned.
Barcelona welcomed 16 million guests in 2025, marking a 2.9% enhance in contrast with the earlier 12 months. Final June, hundreds of native residents took to the streets to protest in opposition to overtourism, chanting slogans corresponding to “Your holidays, my distress” and highlighting the pressure on infrastructure, environmental harm, and housing shortages.
Many say they’ve been pushed and priced out of their neighbourhoods and criticised political inaction in addressing the influence of uncontrolled mass tourism.
In June 2025, an estimated 600-800 protesters marched by means of the Catalan capital (Picture: Getty)
In September, Barcelona additionally marked World Tourism Day with protests at a number of landmark websites, highlighting native frustrations over overcrowding and housing pressures. Native residents chanted slogans corresponding to “vacationers go house,” and displayed indicators and a big banner studying “mass tourism kills town.”
Nevertheless, resort homeowners have expressed issues that the elevated prices might deter vacationers and considerably influence the trade. Direct spending linked to tourism exercise was estimated at €10.375 billion (nearly £9 billion) in 2025, in line with town council.
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Jordi Clos, president of Barcelona’s hoteliers’ affiliation, warned that the measure might negatively influence key customer segments. He mentioned there’s “widespread concern within the trade about how the rise within the vacationer tax and the municipal surcharge in Barcelona would possibly have an effect on the sector.”
He added: “Will probably be needed to observe the influence this measure might have on enterprise exercise and on essentially the most strategic segments [such as business and conference tourism], and to forestall a qualitative and widespread decline.”
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