Barcelona will raise tourist tax for cruise passengers, mayor says

Barcelona will raise the tourist tax for cruise passengers visiting the city for less than 12 hours, the mayor said in an interview published on Sunday.

MADRID — Barcelona will raise the tourist tax for cruise passengers visiting the city for less than 12 hours, the mayor said in an interview published on Sunday.

Jaume Collboni said the current tourist tax for stopover cruise passengers was 7 euros ($7.61) per day. He did not say by how much the tax would be increased.

“We are going to propose..substantially increasing the tax for stopover cruise passengers,” he told El Pais newspaper.

“In the case of stopover cruise passengers (less than 12 hours) there is intensive use of public space without any benefit for the city and a feeling of occupation and saturation. We want to have tourism that is respectful of the destination.”

Anti-tourism protesters say visitors drive up housing costs in thier city centers. Last month Barcelona said it will bar apartment rentals to tourists by 2028 to help make cities livable for locals.Emilio Morenatti / APHe said tourists, not local tax payers, should pay for local projects like air-conditioning schools.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/barcelona-raise-tourist-tax-cruise-ship-rcna162884

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