Thousands of demonstrators marched in the centre of Barcelona at the weekend to protest against mass tourism in the city, BBC reports.
Protesters carried signs reading “Barcelona is not for sale” and “Tourists go home”, while some used water pistols against tourists eating outdoors in restaurants.
The protests erupted after authorities in the European city announced an increase in the daily tourist levy for the second time this year.
Tourists in Barcelona will pay more from October
Holidaymakers travelling to Barcelona will have to pay the increased tax from October. In addition to the increase in the daily tourist levy, there will be a total ban on holiday apartment rentals.
In April, the cosmopolitan capital raised the tourist tax from €2.75 ($A4.40) to €3.25 ($A5.25). Now, starting in October, holidaymakers will pay a €4 ($6.45) city tax to enjoy the beauty of Barcelona. The regional tourist tax is charged depending on where you stay.
A luxury hotel will cost tourists €3.50 ($5.65), while an Airbnb stay will be just €2.25 ($5.65). Meanwhile, the city tax is charged at a flat rate per night, for stays of up to seven nights.
This means that from October, a tourist will have to pay €52.50 ($84.45) for a week’s stay in a five-star hotel. This amount includes a regional tax of €3.50 per night and a city tax of €4 per night. A ban on short-term rentals is due to be introduced in 2028.
The increase in funds should also boost their annual revenue from €95 million ($152 million) to €115 million ($184 million). The funds will be used to develop city services and infrastructure to cope with the ever-increasing tourist demand.
According to property website Idealista, rents in Spain’s two tourist cities, Barcelona and Madrid, rose 18 per cent in June compared to a year earlier.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni in June announced plans to phase out short-term rentals by 2028, an unexpectedly radical move by authorities seeking to curb rising housing prices and make the city livable for residents.
