L’Hospitalet de Llobregat plans to introduce a new municipal surcharge on its tourist tax, a move that will bring its rates more in line with those of its larger neighbour, Barcelona. The decision follows a recent change in Catalan law that now permits municipalities across the region to levy their own local surcharges, a power previously reserved for the capital.
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The city, Catalonia’s second-largest, has long argued for this change. For eighteen months, officials in L’Hospitalet petitioned the Generalitat de Catalunya to address a perceived disparity. While L’Hospitalet absorbs a significant and growing number of tourists, especially business travellers attending events at the Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, the financial benefits did not fully trickle down to the municipality. With tourist pressures mounting on local services and housing, the city council now aims to ensure a greater share of the revenue is reinvested locally.
A recent legal reform enables this initiative. In March 2025, the Catalan government passed a decree allowing municipalities to implement their own tourist tax surcharges of up to four euros per stay, effective from 1 October 2025.
A ‘Maximum Application’
A report in El Periódico indicates L’Hospitalet intends to take full advantage of the new rules. José Antonio Alcaide, the city’s Councillor for Economy and Proximity, confirmed the executive’s intention to pursue a “maximum application” of the new levy.
“The new rule adds some of our requests, such as being able to incorporate a specific tax as a city council based on the type of establishment,” Alcaide explained. “It doesn’t equalise us with Barcelona, but it does reduce that sense of grievance we had.”
Although the fine details are still being defined, the new surcharge will supplement the existing regional tax, which generated €1.6 million for the Generalitat from L’Hospitalet stays in 2024. Crucially, the new revenue will flow directly into municipal coffers. The council plans to direct these funds towards housing policies, urban regeneration, and public maintenance, especially in neighbourhoods with a high concentration of hotels. This focus on improving local infrastructure mirrors the city’s recent major investments, such as the €435m overhaul of its cleaning and waste collection services.
From One Hotel to a Million Stays
Tourism growth in L’Hospitalet has been remarkable. In 2001, the city had just one hotel. By 2023, it recorded one million overnight stays, a milestone solidifying its position as a major destination. The Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via exhibition centre, which hosts world-leading congresses, drives much of this growth.
During the last Mobile World Congress alone, L’Hospitalet hotels registered 15,645 overnight stays. While this brings significant economic benefits, it also strains local services.
“The Fira offers very positive aspects in terms of economy and jobs; it has an incredible impact,” said Alcaide. “However, it also presents challenges, requiring dedicated resources for security and cleaning.”
The council does not believe the higher tax will deter visitors, especially within the resilient business travel sector. Alcaide stated that officials would be “receptive to opinions from all sectors” but did not foresee “an impact that affects demand for places.”
A Trend Across the Metropolis
L’Hospitalet is not alone in its decision. Neighbouring El Prat de Llobregat, home to Barcelona’s airport, also plans to introduce the surcharge; Mayor Alba Bou indicated the funds would support local agriculture and nature conservation. Sant Adrià de Besòs is also studying the measure.
However, the approach is not uniform across the Barcelona metropolitan area. Other towns, such as Badalona, currently rule it out. “It is not contemplated in the medium term, because the city is in a phase of making an effort to attract tourism,” concluded Badalona’s mayor, Xavier Garcia Albiol. This mixed reaction reflects a broader regional debate, where tourism’s economic benefits are increasingly weighed against its social and environmental impact, sparking fears over competitiveness for some.
For L’Hospitalet, the move signals a new phase in its relationship with tourism: one focused on managing its success to directly benefit the citizens who call the city home.
