In the region’s capital, tourist taxes jumped by 100% on Thursday, with the nightly charge at luxury five-star hotels jumping from €3.50 (£3) to €7 (£6.10). Outside Barcelona, the charge is set to rise gradually, reaching up to €4.50 (£3.90) per night between April 2026 and March 2027, and subsequently increasing further to €6 (£5.20) per night. Under the new regulation, Barcelona City Council will also be allowed to raise its maximum tourist tax surcharge from €4 (£3.50) to €8 (£7). The increase will be phased in gradually, at one euro per year, reaching the €8 cap by 2029.

A quarter of the tourist tax revenue is earmarked for affordable housing initiatives, while the remaining 75% will fund the Fomento del Turismo (Tourism Promotion) program, supporting services such as cleaning, security and other tourism-related infrastructure.

Support for the new law came from the Socialists’ Party of Catalonia (PSC), Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Catalunya en Comú (Catalonia in Common), or Comuns, parties.

PSC delegate Susana Martinez, a party which is strongly unionist, said the tourist tax does not deter visitors and described the increase as ‘common sense,’ noting that it helps fund tourism-related public services. However, national conservative Vox MPs, including Javier Ramirez, have slammed the new law.

Mr Ramirez said that “people are buying into the narrative of tourismphobia and fiscal extortion”.

He also criticised the decision to delegate 25% of the revenue towards housing, arguing: “What fault lies with a family that freely comes to visit the city, to boost the economy, that they have caused the housing market to collapse? None whatsoever”.

Catalonia introduced its regional tourist tax (known as the ecotasa) in 2012. The tax applies to all types of accommodation, including hotels, apartments and cruises, to fund the region’s tourism infrastructure and natural heritage. The city of Barcelona has always imposed an additional municipal surcharge on top of the regional tax.