Government agrees to raise tourist tax cap to €8 per night in Barcelona

The Catalan government has agreed to amend legal requirements to increase the tourist tax cap in Barcelona to €8 per night. Currently, the city council charges €4 per person per night—the maximum allowed under the regional administration’s regulations since early October.

The agreement followed a meeting held on Friday between both cabinets in the city council in Barcelona's Plaça Sant Jaume.

Presidency Minister Albert Dalmau stated that the proposed changes are expected to be included in the 2025 budget law. The pro-independence left-wing Esquerra Republicana party (ERC) had already suggested raising the cap to €8 shortly after the €4 limit came into effect. Dalmau confirmed that the government would discuss the proposal with ERC and left-wing Comuns Sumar during negotiations for the 2025 spending plan.

Tourism is "a large industry in Catalonia," but visitors are also required to pay for part of the services they use, Dalmau said after announcing that increasing the cap is "on the table."

Some schools in the Catalan capital have a clima installation that is paid by the tourist tax.

Although it remains uncertain whether the new tax cap will be set at €8 per person per night or a lower amount, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has stated that there is sufficient political support for the initiative.

The next step will involve the Catalan parliament passing the necessary legislation, after which officials will "study all possibilities," Collboni added. 

Depending on the timing of the legislative changes, the updated tourist tax cap could take effect in June, October, or January.