The New Tourist Tax in Barcelona – All You Need to Know
Millions of tourists visit the beautiful city of Barcelona every year in search of fantastic food, incredible art and some of the best nightlife in Europe. So it may not come as a surprise that the Catalan government has decided to follow in Rome’s footsteps and implement a new tourist tax. The tax came into force on 1 November 2012, meaning all those renting accommodation in Catalonia, from apartments to hotels to campervans, would need to pay a small fee.
Whether you’re already an Apartment Barcelona client, you’re looking to visit Barcelona soon or you’re just keeping up with the times, read on for all you need to know about the new tourist tax in Barcelona.
Who is affected by the new tax?
The new tourist tax is easily explained:
- Anyone aged 17 and over staying at an apartment, hostel, hotel, campsite or cruise ship will be charged.
- Taxes only apply for the first 7 nights of your stay.
The tax charge will differ depending on which accommodation you opt for, and whether you are staying in the city of Barcelona or the rest of Catalonia. Below are the charges for apartment rentals:
- Apartments in Barcelona: 0.72€ per person per night (VAT included)
- Apartments in the rest of Catalonia: 0.50€ per person per night (VAT included)
Charges for hotels are slightly more (up to 2.50€ per person per night) so it is worth noting that by staying in an apartment in Barcelona, you would fall into the lower band of the tax charges.
The tourist tax is payable upon arrival to either the owner of the apartment or the friendly staff of Apartment Barcelona, who will then transfer the payment to the Generalitat de Catalunya.
What is the reason for the new tax?
Tourism is a booming industry in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia plans to use some of the revenue generated by the new tax to assist the region’s economic recovery. That being said, the Generalitat has stated that a large percentage of the newly imposed tax will be poured back into the tourism industry.
While not everyone in the tourism industry has embraced the new tax, with hoteliers, tour operators and other accommodation providers fearful that this could negatively affect travel in Catalonia, many believe that the income provided by the charges will help to promote Barcelona as a vacation destination in the long-run and stay top of the leaderboard in Spanish tourism.
How do you feel about the new tourist tax? Drop us a comment below!
If you have any questions as to how the tax may affect your trip to Barcelona, please feel free to contact us at info@apartmentbarcelona.com and we will be more than happy to help you with any concerns or queries.
About Apartment Barcelona
Apartment Barcelona is a leading online apartment rental company with over 700 apartments in and around Barcelona to rent for short and long-term stays.
3 Comments
I already pay enough tax, I think I can find somewhere else and skip the tourist tax in Barcelona
Hey Mark!
That is a valid statement, but the tourist tax in Barcelona is sure to make ‘Gaudí’s city’ better for all tourists in the future! We sure hope you reconsider.
Just saw this tax after I had booked a hotel in this fantastic city, so I feared what the cost was. But at my hotel its 1.25 a night. I must admit I think that’s money well given to keep this city as awesome as it is.
At the price of max 2.50€ a day I think its OK. I love Barcelona and will be happy to come here for years to come!
By the way, also saw this site now after googling the cost of the tax, will look at it for my next visit