Barcelona considers increasing fee on short-stay cruise visitors as part of its tourism strategy.

Barcelona's mayor plans to increase the fee for visitors who spend less than 12 hours in the city as part of his continuous efforts to address the repercussions of mass tourism. Jaume Collboni, a member of the Catalan Socialist party and the current mayor, has put forth several measures aimed at curbing overtourism while improving housing conditions for residents since taking office last month.

Four weeks ago, Collboni announced plans to discontinue allowing rental properties to tourists by 2028 through revoking the permits of thousands of existing short-term rentals. This proposal has sparked nationwide protests in Spain due to concerns about the negative impact of a burgeoning tourism industry on daily life for citizens.

During an interview with El País, Collboni expressed his intention to raise taxes imposed on cruise passengers who visit the city briefly, from €7 per day to a higher amount that would benefit Barcelona financially. He emphasized that while tourism plays a vital role in the economy and is welcoming of visitors, measures must be taken to address its adverse effects on the city's well-beitected environment.

Collboni criticized short-term rentals and brief cruise stopovers as exacerbating issues related to tourism, including a lack of consideration for residential housing rights. He emphasized that Barcelona prioritizes residents over accommodations for visitors in the city. The mayor also highlighted concerns about the excessive use of public spaces by transient guests without contributing to the community or fostering harmonious coexistence.

Collboni did not specify the amount of increase planned for cruise passenger taxes, stating that studies had already been initiated and indicating a desire to raise funds through this means to support various projects like improving school facilities with air conditioning systems. He assured that his plan to restrict short-term rentals would not deter tourists or hinder the hosting of significant events such as Mobile World Congress, despite having adequate hotel capacity in the region.

In recent years, Spain has seen a dramatic increase in international tourist arrivals, reaching record levels amidst growing concerns about housing market distortions and diminished quality of life for locals due to uncontrolled tourism growth. This issue has sparked protests across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands.

Víctor Martín, a spokesperson for Canarias se Agota (The Canaries Have Had Enough), attributed these problems not to tourists themselves but rather their unchecked numbers and outdated models attracting them to the archipelago. The organization called for limiting visitor numbers and reconsidering traditional approaches to tourism in order to restore balance between resource utilization and residents' well-being.

A significant protest is scheduled for Sunday evening in Mallorca, with a rally planned by the Menys Turisme, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) platform in Palma, the city's capital. The demonstration carries the slogan "Let's change course, let's impose limits on tourism" and seeks to bring attention to pressing concerns about overtourism and its detrimental effects on local communities.