Barcelona plans to increase the tourist tax for cruise passengers who visit the city for less than 12 hours. Mayor Jaume Collboni revealed this in an interview with El Pais, published on Sunday, Reuters reports.
Currently, the tourist tax for cruise passengers is 7 euros per day. However, the mayor did not specify how much the increase would be. “We will propose a significant increase in the tax for stopover cruise passengers,” Collboni said.
The mayor expressed concern about the intensive use of public space by these passengers without adequate benefit to the city, creating a sense of overcrowding. “We want tourism that respects the destination,” he stated.
Collboni emphasized that tourists, not local taxpayers, should fund local projects, such as air conditioning in schools. This proposal will need to be coordinated with the regional government of Catalonia.
In recent weeks, there have been protests against mass tourism in popular Spanish destinations like Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, and the Canary Islands. Protesters argue that visitors drive up housing costs and make central city areas unaffordable for residents. Another protest is planned for Sunday evening in Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the largest Balearic Island.
Last month, Collboni announced a ban on tourist apartment rentals in Barcelona until 2028. This unexpected but necessary measure aims to curb rising housing costs and make the city more livable.
