Barcelona Mayor Proposes Cruise Passenger Tax Increase to Combat Overtourism

Barcelona, one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, is taking steps to address overcrowding caused by the influx of cruise passengers. Mayor Jaume Collboni has proposed a 100% increase in the daily tax for short-stay cruise visitors, raising the rate from $4.65 (4 euros) to up to $9.30 (8 euros) per night.

The announcement was reported by El País following Collboni’s appearance on local network Betevé. The mayor aims to implement this change immediately, despite a previous City Council decision to gradually raise the tax over the next four years. Collboni’s plan seeks to discourage cruise stopovers in the city, targeting a reduction in passengers who briefly visit Barcelona without starting or concluding their journeys there.

Collboni stated, “Tourism must serve the city, not the other way around.” His administration is focused on attracting business visitors and ‘quality tourism’ while phasing out mass tourism, including eliminating tourist apartments by 2028.

Barcelona officials are pushing forward with measures to increase cruise passenger taxes as part of a broader initiative to mitigate overtourism. This is a continuation of actions taken by the city to handle the challenges of high tourist volumes. In 2024, the council agreed to reduce the number of cruise terminals from seven to five and in March, Barcelona significantly raised its visitor tax, placing it among the highest in Europe.

The city’s hotel guest tax now stands between $10 and $17 per person per night, and holiday rental taxes have been raised to approximately $14 per night. These measures are designed to control the impact of mass tourism, as evidenced by past anti-tourism demonstrations where local residents expressed their frustration with the growing tourist presence.

Mayor Collboni, who plans to run for re-election in 2027, envisions governing with a left-wing majority, aiming to transform Barcelona into a ‘grave of the far right.’