Barcelona to increase tourist tax amid mass tourism
Spain’s Barcelona is attempting to hit the brakes on mass tourism in city by increasing their tourist tax for the second time this year.
Barcelona fights off overtourism
In an effort to keep the tourists at bay, Barcelona city council has voted to raise the city’s tourist tax for a second time this year.
Earlier this year in April, the fee, intended to reduce tourism numbers in the city, rose from €2,75 (around R54) per person per night to €3,25 (around R64).
Now, due to the fee not producing the necessary results, the City plans to increase the fee to €4 (around R79) per person per night in October.
According to Travel News, visitors to Barcelona will have to pay both a Catalonian regional tourism fee and Barcelona city tourist tax, per person per day, based on booked accommodation and whether they are disembarked cruise passengers.
Over 2 000 people protest
Recently, thousands of people protested in Barcelona on 6 July, to fight mass tourism.
According to Schengen.News, police figures reported that about 2 800 people took to the streets to participate in Barcelona’s protests of overtourism.
In 2023 alone, the city registered over 12 million tourists.
This has had an impact on the ongoing increase in the cost of housing, which went up by 68 percent in the past decade, as well as on local commerce and working conditions.