Holiday hotspot to charge visitors up to £13 a night in tax hike

Barcelona is set to introduce one of Europe's highest tourist taxes, with visitors potentially facing charges of up to €15 (£13) per night.

The move, approved by authorities in Catalonia, aims to curb visitor numbers and generate funds for affordable housing initiatives.

The decision comes amid growing protests from local residents who argue that excessive tourism is driving up housing prices, largely due to the proliferation of short-term holiday lets.

Under the new regulations, the regional parliament of Catalonia has doubled the tax for guests staying in holiday rentals, increasing it from €6.25 to a maximum of €12.50 per night.

This change precedes an already announced plan to ban all short-term rental accommodation by 2028.

From April, hotel guests will also see a significant increase in charges, paying between €10 and €15 per night, up from the current €5 to €7.50, depending on the hotel's category.

A two‑night stay for a couple at one of the four-star hotels that make up nearly half of all hotels in Barcelona could now cost an extra €45.60, as the local authority can charge up to €11.40 per night per person.

Guests at five-star hotels could be charged up to €15 a night and cruise passengers will continue to pay around €6.

A quarter of the revenue raised will help address the city's housing crisis, according to the text of the law.

Irene Verrazzo, a 33‑year‑old nurse from Italy, said Barcelona was already very expensive and she doubted she'd return.

"I don’t think this added expense is fair. They already make money from tourists spending in shops, visiting their monuments, etc," she said.

The higher tax was unlikely to solve the housing crisis but the hike seemed reasonable, said 21‑year‑old student and local resident Ivan Liu.

Before the tax raise, Barcelona ranked 11th in holiday‑rental platform Holidu's 2025 list, behind Amsterdam, where tourists paid the most in Europe at €18.45 per day.

Hotel owners are concerned the tax rise could drive away too many of the around 15.8 million tourists who visit Barcelona each year. The city ranks among the top four in the world for conventions, according to the local tourism board, and attendees will not be exempt from the levy.

Manel Casals, general director of the Barcelona's hoteliers' group, said proposals to raise the tax gradually to monitor its effects were ignored.

"One day they will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs," he said.