Barcelona Hikes Tourist Tax for Short-Stay Cruises
Barcelona is set to increase the tourist tax levied on cruise ship passengers making brief visits (under 12 hours), according to a mayoral interview published on Sunday by Reuters.
Jaume Collboni, the city's mayor, stated that the current daily tourist tax for cruise passengers with stopovers is 7 euros, but did not disclose the planned amount of the increase.
"A significant hike in the tourist tax for cruise passengers with layovers is under consideration," Collboni said in an interview with El Pais newspaper. He explained that short-visit cruise passengers place a heavy burden on public facilities while offering minimal benefit to the city. This situation creates a sense of overcrowding and strains resources. "We want tourism that respects Barcelona," Collboni added.
The mayor argued that tourists, rather than local residents who shoulder the tax burden, should fund local projects like installing air conditioning in schools. The proposal requires approval from the Catalan regional government.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
