Barcelona is taking steps to manage the influx of tourists by increasing the tax on cruise passengers. Mayor Jaume Collboni announced a proposal to raise the nightly tax for cruise visitors to $9.30 (8 euros), doubling from the current $4.65 (4 euros).
According to El País, the new rate would affect passengers docking in Barcelona, with the City Council initially planning a gradual increase over four years. However, Collboni wants the immediate implementation of this tax hike.
The mayor’s objective is to reduce the number of cruise visitors who stop briefly in Barcelona. His aim is for tourism to benefit the city without overwhelming it. He indicated that efforts are in place to shift focus toward business visitors and eliminate mass tourism. This plan includes renewing the Fira de Barcelona and eliminating tourist apartments by 2028.
Collboni has expressed his intention to seek re-election in May 2027, aspiring to govern with a left-wing majority and resist far-right influences.
In addition to the cruise tax proposal, Barcelona is already combating overtourism by reducing the number of cruise terminals from seven to five, a change set for 2024. Earlier measures included nearly doubling the visitor tax, now ranging between $10 and $17 per person per night for hotel guests.
The city’s efforts to lessen the impact of tourism also include protests against mass tourism, highlighted by demonstrations against the saturation of hotels and tourist accommodations in popular neighborhoods like Barceloneta.
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