Barcelona, Barcelona en Comú has proposed raising the tourist tax for cruise passengers who stay less than 12 hours in the city to €30 from 2027.
Gemma Tarafa, president of the BComú municipal group, said the plan targets visitors who stop at the Port of Barcelona before continuing their trip. The party says these passengers make heavy use of public spaces without bringing enough economic return to the city.
If approved, each stopover cruise passenger would pay €6 to the Catalan government and €24 to Barcelona City Council, for a total of €30. BComú says it wants support from the Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC) and Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) for the proposal. More Catalonia news
The change would need approval from the Catalan Parliament. Tarafa said an amendment to the law linked to the Catalan budget would be required, because the surcharge a city council can add is currently capped.
At present, Barcelona City Council can levy a maximum surcharge of €8 on tourists, on top of the amount charged by the Catalan government, which varies by accommodation type. The council currently charges €5 and plans to raise it by €1 a year until it reaches the €8 limit in 2029, under an agreement between the municipal government and ERC.
Tarafa also said Barcelona en Comú will run independently in the next municipal election, ruling out a broad left-wing alliance with parties such as ERC. She criticised Mayor Jaume Collboni, saying BComú had expected him to continue projects such as the superilla, or superblocks, and green axes.