The Plenary of the Barcelona City Council has provisionally approved increasing the municipal surcharge for cruise passengers to 24 euros by 2030. The measure, which also freezes the hostel tax, has passed with the votes of Junts and ERC, while the proposal for fiscal ordinances for 2027 has been rejected.
Cruise passengers who stop in Barcelona and spend less than 12 hours in the city will pay more starting from 2027. The City Council has provisionally approved a progressive increase in the municipal surcharge of the tourist tax, which will rise from the current 5 euros to 12 euros in 2027 and reach 24 euros by 2030. This amount will be added to the 6 euros tax from the Generalitat, meaning that these visitors will pay a total of 18 euros starting next year and 30 euros by the end of the period.
The proposal has received support from Junts and ERC, the same groups that backed it in the Extraordinary Economic Commission last Tuesday. In contrast, BComú voted against it because they requested that the increase be applied all at once, and both PP and Vox also rejected the measure. Municipal sources are confident that the final approval will come without changes, although the text still needs to pass that process.
The government of Jaume Collboni has, however, failed to push through the proposal for Fiscal Ordinances for 2027, which included an increase in the IBI for hotels from 1.17% to 1.3%, the maximum legally permitted. Without the necessary support, the fiscal package falls through, and the council will have to redo the project or extend the current ordinances.
In the same session, the Plenary has given final approval to freeze the tax paid by people staying in hostels, a predominantly young group. This measure has received support from Junts and ERC, while BComú, PP, and Vox voted against it.
The impact for the residents of Barcelona translates into increased municipal revenue from cruise tourism, which will be used to offset the pressure on public space. Cruise passengers generate street occupancy and services with little consumption in the city, according to the council's argument for justifying the increase. The tax will apply to passengers who stay less than 12 hours and do not overnight in hotels or make significant purchases in local commerce.
This measure is part of the City Council's fiscal policy for 2027, which ultimately has not been approved as a whole. The next step will be the final approval of the cruise tax increase, likely in the coming weeks, and the search for new agreements for the fiscal ordinances for the next fiscal year.
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