Catalonia collected over €100m from tourist tax last summer

Catalonia collected €102.5 million in taxes on stays in tourist establishments (IEET), known as the tourist tax, between April and September 2023. Taxes were paid at around 40,000 tourist establishments. 

The total for the summer high season in 2023 represents an increase of 165% compared to the same period in 2017. 

Barcelona represented 70% of the total last summer, while the Costa Brava and Costa Daurada combined accounted for 18%. 

According to data from the Tax Agency available on the Catalan government's open data portal, €49.6 million was collected from the tourist tax the previous autumn and winter from 22,000 establishments. 

Tourist tax to rise in Barcelona 

Tourist taxes in Barcelona are set to rise from a maximum of €3.25 to €4 per person per night after the city council gave its support to the measure in June.  

The council is also urging the Catalan government and Parliament to modify the law to remove the current cap on local tourist taxes so the surcharge can be increased even further. 

Councilor Elisenda Alamany said that Barcelona collects €95 million from the tourist tax, but the direct expenses caused by tourism in cleaning, security or transport amount to €142 million, meaning a deficit in the municipal coffers of around €50 million.

Anti-tourism protest  

Thousands of people – 2,800, according to local police – took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday evening to protest against mass tourism in the city.  

More than 140 organizations gathered under the slogan: 'Enough, let's put limits on tourism'.