Barcelona authorities have decided to tighten regulations for cruise tourists in an attempt to curb the influx of travelers who spend only a few hours in the city. The city announced a sharp increase in the tourist tax for cruise ship passengers: from the current €4, guests will now have to pay €8 per day.
The increase will take effect significantly earlier than originally planned. While authorities had previously planned to introduce the new tariffs gradually until 2029, they now plan to implement the decision in the coming months. The new fee will apply to passengers whose flights make short stops in Barcelona of less than 12 hours.
Mayor Jaume Colboni has openly stated that Barcelona is tired of mass tourism, which is overburdening the city's infrastructure. According to authorities, cruise passengers create huge crowds in the city center, increasing the burden on transportation and public services, and often causing conflicts within the city.
At the same time, Barcelona is continuing to reform its tourism industry. A decision was previously made to reduce the number of cruise terminals from seven to five, and the city plans to completely phase out short-term tourist accommodation rentals by 2028.
Despite its status as the Mediterranean's largest cruise port, which welcomed nearly 4 million passengers last year alone, Barcelona is increasingly focusing on longer-term, more expensive tourism rather than mass excursions.
