Catalonia to double tourist tax in blow to holidaymakers
Visitors to Catalonia could face a tourist tax of up to €15 (£12.30) per night following new legislation signed by the government.
The Spanish territory, which is home to Barcelona and the coastal region of Tarragona, is set to double the existing levy in a bid to tackle surging tourist numbers.
Barcelona is expected to bear the brunt of the tax, with tourists facing a maximum of €15 (£12.40) per night, while the rest of Catalonia will only be permitted to increase the levy if they introduce a surcharge that previously only applied in the Catalan capital.
At least 25 per cent of funds gathered from the tax will be allocated to housing policies.
Barcelona currently charges guests in four-star hotels €5.70 (£4.70) per night, while those staying in five-star hotels are required to pay €7.50 (£6.10)
Comuns parliamentary spokesperson, David Cid, said doubling the tourist tax was a proportionate and fair measure.
'A person who comes to Catalonia paying €400 or €500 for a night in a hotel can pay €7 more,' he told Spanish radio network Cadena Ser.
'We have a record number of tourists, and the new figures we are talking about for the tax do not impose any limits' [on tourism or the arrival of visitors].'
He argued that similar measures 'are being proposed across Europe.'
'This is the trend at the European level,' he added.
Overcrowding, strained resources like water and the increasing scarcity and cost of housing have become pressing issues across the country, especially in major cities.
A 2024 YouGov study found that nearly a third of people living in Spain said there are too many foreign travellers in their country.
Action against overtourism in Spain peaked in July 2024 when thousands of Barcelona residents squirted diners in tourist areas with water during a protest against mass tourism.
Protesters chanted 'tourists go home' and carried placards reading 'Enough! Let's put limits on tourism'.
And in November, thousands of Barcelona residents protested to demand lower housing rental conditions following growing concern about landlords switching to more lucrative, short-term rentals, and the gentrification of rent increases due to gentrification.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
41 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Scotland seek answers in Liechtenstein: Steve Clarke's changes, 'shouldn't be panic' and chance-taker
In last match before World Cup qualifiers, Clarke and co require a response Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The tranquil setting of Vaduz on the banks of the Rhine should not be a place where further pressure is put on a football manager. Flanked by mountains, visitors usually return refreshed and happy. The small nation of Liechtenstein is currently ranked 202 in the FIFA World rankings. Only Hong Kong have suffered defeat to them in the past five years. Their 'golden' era of most-capped keeper Peter Jehle and star striker Mario Frick are long gone. Konrad Fünfstück's are usually deemed as easy prey for opponents of any meaningful repute. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland fall into that category as they arrive at the Rheinpark Stadion on the Swiss border. This is down as an away win, with odds of 1/12 from most bookmakers. San Marino scored three times when they rocked up here in November. It was an evening of anguish for Scotland against Iceland last time out. | SNS Group History with Liechtenstein won't ease any queasiness, mind you. On Scotland's only previous sojourn to Vaduz in 2011, they narrowly prevailed 1-0 thanks to a goal from Craig Mackail-Smith. That came a year on from an almost catastrophic first meeting with Liechtenstein, when Stephen McManus' 97th-minute header earned a 2-1 win at Hampden. The last match of a long season, many in the Scotland squad are entitled to feel jaded. There have been title wins, cup successes and long European runs. This probably isn't their idea of an Alpine retreat. Nevertheless, Scotland need to tool up for one final job ahead of the holidays. A meek 3-1 defeat by Iceland on Friday night and the lacklustre nature of the performance requires a response. This is the last time head coach Steve Clarke will have his squad together before the World Cup qualification campaign kicks off in September against Denmark. The Parken Stadion will be a world away from the docile 7,584 arena they play in on Monday evening. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland 'need to win their next game' Scotland will want to bounce into the autumn matches, of that there is no doubt. Their recent record in friendlies is poor and Clarke wanted to address that in this double-header. Iceland has come and gone, now it's about doing a number on Liechtenstein. "We need to win our next game on Monday night," was the blunt assessment of midfielder Lewis Ferguson after Iceland. "We need to go and put on a good performance and win the game. Winning games is what breeds confidence. We need to get back to that." Clarke himself admits he is not the most adventurous when it comes to mixing it up with team selection. The manager may have been wrestling with whether to give his main men a chance to atone for Friday and get a much-needed triumph under their belt in Scotland colours, or blood some of the uncapped players in his current group. As it is, injury and fatigue may play a part, with Clarke accepting he may make more alterations than usual. The likes of Josh Doig, Andy Irving and Kieron Bowie will be desperate for game-time and their international debuts. A maiden appearance may come between the sticks after Cieran Slicker was unceremoniously thrown in at the deep end for his first senior appearance for club or country against Iceland after Angus Gunn's second-minute injury and was at fault for all three goals. Celtic-bound keeper Ross Doohan has been summoned from his holidays to join the squad. Doohan has made 20 appearances for Aberdeen this season and seems likely to make his debut, having been solid at Pittodrie all season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One may ask why he wasn't in the squad ahead of others. One may also ask why Clarke reverted back to a back-three against Iceland when the back-four had been a reasonable success in the Nations League A campaign against more glamourous opposition. Kieran Tierney's injury may force a formation change. Scott McTominay, the poster boy after Serie A success with Napoli, will also be absent due to a niggle. That means Clarke doesn't need to find the best way to shoe-horn all of his top-level midfielders into one team. It is hard to get Ferguson, John McGinn, Billy Gilmour and McTominay effectively on the pitch at the same time. Craig Mackail-Smith scores the winner against Liechtenstein for Scotland back in 2011. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 And then there are the strikers. Che Adams has not scored for Scotland in a year, and the Torino hitman must sense an opportunity against Liechtenstein. They are rarely scudded, but Adams will surely get chances if selected ahead of George Hirst as Clarke's No 9. He needs to take them. Within the squad, there is awareness of the talent at Scotland's disposal. "There shouldn't be any panic," Ferguson advised. "We've good strong squad, with plenty of quality and experience. But we do recognise that we need to get back to winning ways and get back to performing at the levels we know we're capable of." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Canary Islands protest group faces pushback over demonstration plans
The protest group 'Canarias tiene un límite' (Canary Islands have a limit) has organised many of the demonstrations that have caused chaos at popular locations for tourism on the Canary Islands in recent years, where holidaymakers came face-to-face with signs telling them to "go home" A prominent Spanish protest group, vocal about the detrimental impacts of rampant mass tourism, has encountered resistance from local authorities after attempting to flood a major national park that draws in millions annually. The activist collective 'Canarias tiene un límite' (Canary Islands have a limit) has been behind numerous protests that have disrupted tourist hotspots across the Canary Islands, confronting holidaymakers with blunt messages to "go home". However, their latest scheme set for Saturday was thwarted when island officials mandated a permit for public demonstrations, warning that proceeding without one would be illegal. The notice came too late for the organisers to secure the necessary authorisation. In a passionate online statement, 'Canarias tiene un límite' said they were "forced to postpone the act" due to the intervention by the authorities. Despite this setback, small groups of demonstrators still ventured into the national park encircling the colossal Mount Teide volcano on Saturday, testing how officials would respond to their action. Following 'Canarias tiene un límite's' stark warning in their announcement, the group made it clear that official resistance would not deter their summer protest plans. They declared: "We delay, but we don't quit." The activists insisted that the true danger to the UNESCO World Heritage site was not their demonstrations, but "the institutions which treat Teide as an amusement park." Despite attempts by authorities to thwart them, "small groups" of demonstrators still gathered at Teide National Park over the weekend, as reported by CanarianWeekly. Brandishing banners, they drew attention to the damage caused by quad bikes and tourists veering off paths on the delicate ecosystem. The determined locals vowed to "circumvent" the "institutional blockade" facing their campaign. The group defiantly stated: "We are here at Teide, despite the authorities having prohibited the demonstration. We have come in small groups to bypass the institutions' attempts to silence us, but so far, they've achieved the opposite. We've managed to highlight the situation at Teide, which reflects a broader crisis in all of the Canary Islands' protected areas,". They criticised Tenerife council president Rosa Dávila's "clumsy" efforts to suppress their protest, which she feared could harm the natural treasure. However, the protesters countered that the real threats were "thousands of quad bikes", tourists straying off designated areas, and unlawful sporting events, all of which pose a greater risk to the 47,000-acre reserve. Mount Teide stands majestically as an imposing volcano, holding the title of the world's third-largest when measured from its base 7500 metres below the sea surface. The national park that nestles this natural wonder attracts around 3 million visitors annually, both from within Spain and abroad, who are keen to witness Spain's tallest peak and the stunning panoramas it offers. Despite resistance from some political quarters, campaigners 'Canarias tiene un límite' have stated that the discord has only highlighted the issues facing the national park and spurred on their efforts. In a stark message to the powers that be, the activists proclaimed: "There are other officials responsible for managing Mount Teide who are comfortably sheltered by Rosa Dávila's ineptitude.
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland Office leads trade mission in Spain
A total of 16 Scottish female entrepreneurs, led by UK Government Minister Kirsty McNeill and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), will arrive in Madrid today. Their mission comes after a report, first covered by The Herald, found that trade in Scotland could increase by more than £10 billion over two years if women-led businesses exported at the same rate as those led by men. The Gender Export Gap Report, commissioned by the Scottish Government, found that if women who lead small and medium-sized enterprises exported at the same rate as male-led exporters, it could increase total turnover by between £2.1bn and £6.3bn over one year, with this potentially increasing to over £10bn over a two year period. Scotland Minister Ms McNeill has voiced she wants the UK to be 'a leader' in promoting gender diversity in international trade. Those involved, including the chief executive of Scottish Chamber of Commerce Liz Cameron, will meet with Spanish entrepreneurs, business leaders and politicians to address the Scottish gender export gap and promote Brand Scotland. Taking place through events in Barcelona and Madrid, ministers said the mission will help Scottish firms 'boost exports, inward investment and kickstart economic growth'. During her trip to Spain, Ms McNeill will also discuss future plans for two shipyards in Scotland with the CEO of Navantia UK, a Spanish ship building company which recently took over the British shipbuilder Harland & Wolff. It currently runs operations across four UK sites including Methil and Arnish in Scotland. READ MORE: 'Scottish trade could create billions through women-led businesses' What Keir Starmer's new UK–EU agreement means for Scotland Figures from last year show Spain is the UK's seventh largest trading partner and it is Scotland's 10th with total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) being £64.6 billion. The UK is the number one European destination for Spanish investment (€83 billion stock). On Tuesday in Barcelona, the Minister will also meet the President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa to discuss new opportunities for trade and investment for both the UK and Spain. This visit marks the first Brand Scotland trade mission since the signing of a partnership agreement between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office on Friday. The deal, backed by a £100,000 UK Government grant, is focused on showcasing Scottish businesses globally and attracting inward investment. UK Government Scotland Office Ms McNeill said: "I'm very proud to be teaming up with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and fantastic Scottish women entrepreneurs on a trailblazing mission to Spain to help kickstart economic growth, create jobs and attract investment to Scotland as part of the UK Government's Plan for Change. "I want the UK to be a leader in promoting gender diversity in international trade and this is a unique opportunity for our women business leaders to build international connections, explore market opportunities, and connect with other female entrepreneurs in one of Scotland's and the UK's largest EU markets. "Through Brand Scotland, we are now giving our country the global platform it deserves." Last year, Scotland's goods exports to Spain reached £0.7 billion, with food and drink leading the way at over £212 million. Most recent figures show that Spain was the number six export destination for Scotch whisky, with sales worth £196 million in 2024. Spain is also among the most valuable destinations for Scottish seafood exports, including a top 20 destination for Scottish salmon exports. Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Dr Liz Cameron CBE said: "This trade mission marks a bold step forward in advancing Scotland's global trade ambitions. "By connecting some of our most dynamic women entrepreneurs and leaders with key players in Barcelona, we are opening new doors of opportunity, innovation, and growth. "Scotland's businesswomen are global in their outlook, ambitious in their vision, and ready to lead the way in forging deeper connections around the world. 'The collaboration between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scotland Office is a powerful partnership which will boost business growth, increase exports, and champion Scotland as a world-leading trading nation. "This mission expands our market access and ensures the future of our business community is more representative, resilient, and internationally competitive." The mission follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer securing an agreement with the European Union last month which aimed at resetting relations after post-Brexit disruption. The deal includes an extension of EU fishing rights in UK waters until 2038. This 12-year continuation maintains current access arrangements, which were initially set to expire in 2026. The UK Government argues that the move provides stability and certainty for the fishing sector. However, Scottish fishing communities and the Scottish Government have voiced strong opposition. The agreement also includes a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, which aligns UK food safety and animal health standards with those of the EU. This alignment is expected to eliminate most routine border checks on animal and plant products between Great Britain and the EU. It will also permit the export of some previously restricted products, including burgers and sausages, back into the EU market. For Scotland, this is significant, facilitating smoother exports for key sectors such as seafood and agriculture. However, it also means that the UK, including Scotland, must adhere to evolving EU regulations in these areas.
