Barcelona’s tourism sector is riding a wave of success after a series of high-profile international events, but industry leaders are sounding the alarm over a looming tourist tax hike they fear could cripple the city’s competitive edge in the long run.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Barcelona started the year strongly, with major conferences such as ICE, ISE, and the Mobile World Congress (MWC) filling hotels. The city’s calendar remains packed, with spring events like the Seafood Expo and Vita-Foods, each drawing over 30,000 attendees. Later, the Primavera Sound festival, a two-day visit from Pope Leo XIV, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya are scheduled for June.
However, this positive outlook is overshadowed by the city’s plan to significantly increase its tourist tax. The Barcelona City Council has approved an incremental rise in the municipal surcharge. When combined with the regional tax, this could see visitors paying between €10 and €15 per person per night by 2029, potentially positioning Barcelona as one of Europe’s most expensive tourist destinations.
A Threat to Business Travel
The primary concern is the potential damage to Barcelona’s lucrative business travel and conference sector, an area where cities fiercely compete. Industry figures warn that the effects may not be immediate but will be felt within two to three years, as major events are typically booked far in advance.
“In this sector, many cities compete, such as Málaga, Valencia, or Madrid, where they do not apply this surcharge,” warned Danny Mathias of the Corporate Association of Specialised Travel Agencies (ACAVE). Event organisers, therefore, may simply choose more affordable destinations.
Manel Casals, Director General of the Gremi d’Hotels de Barcelona, echoed these concerns, stressing that the tax hike reduces the city’s competitiveness. He argues that any tax increase must result in visible reinvestment, enhancing the city’s appeal.
“The increase in the tax has to translate into an improvement in the city’s services and a real and true commitment to making Barcelona an attractive place to return to, with a strong cultural offering,” Casals stated, as reported by La Vanguardia.
Casals suggested creating a landmark exhibition or a new cultural institution that could serve as a global draw. He also lamented that urban planners often overlook tourism – an activity accounting for 13% of the city’s GDP, according to the Cambra de Comerç – in long-term plans, such as the development of the future La Sagrera neighbourhood.
Calls for Tangible Improvements
Many in the sector believe the tax increase must bring tangible benefits, especially in public services and safety. “You have to see a transfer of this tax into, for example, an improvement in security,” Mathias added. “Barcelona is well-positioned, but for some time now, when you say you’re from Barcelona, people make comments about the insecurity in the centre.”
The Gremi d’Hotels has applauded the city’s new, stricter civility (civisme) ordinance and urges its enforcement. However, they note that the authorities often fail to enforce other approved measures, such as those restricting tour group sizes in the historic Ciutat Vella district.
External Pressures and Geopolitical Impact
External factors also add pressure. Geopolitical instability is already impacting the sector, with some city hotels relying on US clients forecasting a potential 20% drop in bookings. Eduard Moret, founding partner of Hotels CMC, noted that his Best Western hotel in Girona has seen daily cancellations from American and Israeli clients this week. “If oil and the energy bill go up, costs for the sector also go up; if you also add the tourist tax to that…” Moret paused, highlighting the cumulative financial pressure.
The Tourist Flat Flashpoint
A parallel battle centres on the future of holiday apartments. The city plans to stop issuing new licences and phase out existing ones by the end of 2028. This move is central to its strategy for tackling Barcelona’s acute housing crisis.
The tourist apartment association, Apartur, has been campaigning against the decision. Its Director General, Marian Muro, points out the contradiction in the city’s policy. “Touristically, the city is doing well, but the image we are projecting is another matter,” she said. During the MWC, occupancy in tourist flats hit 93%, two points above forecasts.
“A city that boasts of major events, of innovation and research centres… where will people stay? And families?” Muro asked, lamenting the administration’s refusal to negotiate. She warned that eliminating the current stock of tourist lets would cost the city over €60 million in revenue and would not solve the housing shortage.
Under the new tax structure, a stay in a tourist apartment will become more expensive than one in a four-star hotel or on a cruise ship. Muro insists the city is unfairly blaming the tourism sector for its housing problems and urges the council to use the tax revenue to “reduce externalities for real, for example, by improving public transport.”
