Barcelona advances higher tax for short cruise visits
The levy for cruise passengers spending less than 12 hours in the city would gradually rise from €5 to €24 by 2030.
Barcelona City Council has given initial approval to a plan that would progressively increase the tourist tax for cruise passengers who visit the city without staying overnight.
Under the approved proposal, passengers spending less than 12 hours in Barcelona would see the current €5 charge rise in stages to €24, the maximum recently established under Catalan law. The increase would be implemented progressively through 2030.
Barcelona Deputy Mayor for Economy Jordi Valls said the phased approach would unfold over four years, describing it as a way to provide clarity and certainty about the council’s fiscal decisions. Valls also characterized the measure as the Mediterranean’s largest cruise-related tax increase, saying it would exceed levies in Amsterdam, Santorini and other ports.