The tax for stopover cruise passengers is currently EUR 7 (USD 7.60)
In the latest string of measures undertaken by the vibrant Catalan capital of Barcelona, the city’s mayor has announced plans to raise tourist tax on cruise passengers who visit the city for less than 12 hours.
According to reports, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has confirmed the tourism tax would increase but did not confirm how much the price would jump. The tax for stopover cruise passengers is currently EUR 7 (USD 7.60).
This decision comes barely a month after the city announced a ban on all short-term rentals within five years as part of its drive to address the controversial issue of overwhelming tourism in the popular tourist hotspot.
Barcelona has seen a surge in protests against overtourism. Protesters have been vocal about their discontent, chanting “Tourists go home” and using water guns in public against travellers.
The mayor’s action comes in response to these events and are part of a series of measures to mitigate the impact of mass tourism in Barcelona.
Jaume Collboni
“We are going to propose substantially increasing the tax for stopover cruise passengers. In the case of stopover cruise passengers, for less than 12 hours, there is intensive use of public space without any benefit for the city and a feeling of occupation and saturation. We want to have tourism that is respectful of the destination,” Collboni said.
He added that the Catalan regional government would need to approve the proposal, but explains that tourists should pay for local projects.
Over 12 million tourists visited Barcelona in 2023, and officials predict that number will further rise in 2024.
"
