In response to residents’ concerns about mass tourism and overcrowding, Barcelona has announced plans to increase the tourist tax for cruise passengers staying in the city for less than 12 hours. The move follows recent protests by frustrated locals, overwhelmed by the sheer number of visitors. Some residents have even taken to public displays of their displeasure, spraying tourists with water.

According to a 2023 report by Statistica, Barcelona reported the highest number of cruise passengers last year, with approximately 3.6 million passengers.

Barcelona tourist tax to increase: reasoning and implications

Currently, the tourist tax for cruise passengers making a stopover is set at EUR 7 (HKD 59.49) per day. Barcelona authorities are striving to promote a more sustainable tourism model that benefits both visitors and the city. Increasing the tourist tax is one strategy to encourage a shift towards longer stays and a more respectful visitor experience.

In addition to tourist taxes, the city is taking additional measures to address concerns about overtourism. A recent policy bans short-term apartment rentals from 2028, with the aim of reducing pressure on the housing market and ensuring more availability for residents.

‘We are not protesting against tourism, but against mass tourism.’

Protester Jaume Foil explains why anti-tourism protests have taken place in parts of Spain in recent weeks. https://t.co/cugGnBk6WV

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Barcelona is not alone in facing these challenges. Similar protests against mass tourism have broken out in other popular Spanish destinations, including Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and the Canary Islands. Residents of these areas cite rising prices, environmental impacts and a disruptive party culture as negative consequences of overtourism.

A few weeks ago, around 20,000 residents of Palma took to the streets in passionate protest with banners reading: “Enough is enough!”, “Let’s change course and set limits on tourism”, “Mallorca is not for sale!” and “This is not tourism phobia, these are numbers: 1,232,014 inhabitants, 18 million tourists”.

(Photo credits: @WorldNBC1/X)

Related: Land of the Rising Crowds? How Japan Is Tackling Overtourism Problems

Remark:
The information in this article is correct as of the date of publication.