Tourists pay more to visit Barcelona
Barcelona is on the hunt for 'quality tourists', which means that those that visit the City will have to pay more for the priviledge. The higher costs are significant, but Spain's second city has a bit more on its plate than a plague of tourists.
Spain’s second City has its hand out and tourists will feel its grip.
In its plan to attract ‘quality’ tourists, the strategy is to increase the tax it levies on visitors.
It was way back in 2012 that Barcelona first introduced a tourist tax.
And from 1 April, 2024, visitors will now pay both a regional tourist tax, and a city tax.
The regional tax ranges from €1.70 to €3.50 per night depending on the type of accommodation. Those coming in from a cruise liner don’t get off the hook, as they will also have to pay from €2 to €3.
The City tax ranges from €2.75 a night for lower range establishments, to €6.75 per night for top hotels. Renters pay €5.50 per night and cruise passengers will pay €6.25.
The money raised will go to fund mostly infrastructure projects such as public transport and road improvements.
Observers welcome the move, but still believe Barcelona has to address some inherent issues such as the local's hostility towards affluent visitors pricing them out of their own city and the high levels of petty crime.
