In a policy note that travelled quickly through the global travel trade on 12 November, industry outlet Travel & Tour World reported that Spain “is walking towards new tourism taxes” in step with Greece, Japan and Norway. Although Madrid has not yet tabled a national bill, several regional governments—most prominently Catalonia and the Balearic Islands—have confirmed they will double or even quadruple existing hotel-stay surcharges from April 2026.
Catalonia plans to raise the municipal surcharge in Barcelona from €3.25 to €6.75 per night for four- and five-star hotels, with cruise passengers paying a flat €8 per day. The Balearic Islands’ coalition government is studying a peak-season “deterrent rate” of €15 per adult per night after unions argued that a higher eco-tax is needed to ease summer overcrowding. Smaller increases are being drafted in Valencia and the Canary Islands, primarily to fund green-mobility projects near airports and ports.
![Spain signals higher visitor levies from 2026 in broad push to curb overtourism]()
The proposals come as Spain anticipates a record 94 million international arrivals in 2025—almost 20 million more than the pre-Covid peak. The Ministry of Ecological Transition has warned that coastal wastewater systems, airport ground handling and inter-island ferries are “operating at the edge of capacity” for three months each year. Tourism taxes earmarked for infrastructure upgrades and local-community funds are politically easier to enact than new emissions charges, officials concede.
For mobility and relocation managers, the shift matters on two fronts. First, per-diem budgets for visiting staff may need adjusting: a two-week assignment in Barcelona next summer could attract €189 in hotel levies alone. Second, corporate-housing providers that rely on short-stay licences could see regulation tighten as municipalities link higher taxes to stricter permitting.
While details will be finalised in regional parliaments over the next six months, the message is clear: Spain wants visitors to pay more of the external costs of tourism. Travel buyers should monitor legislative calendars and advise travellers accordingly—especially for large meetings and events scheduled after March 2026.
Catalonia plans to raise the municipal surcharge in Barcelona from €3.25 to €6.75 per night for four- and five-star hotels, with cruise passengers paying a flat €8 per day. The Balearic Islands’ coalition government is studying a peak-season “deterrent rate” of €15 per adult per night after unions argued that a higher eco-tax is needed to ease summer overcrowding. Smaller increases are being drafted in Valencia and the Canary Islands, primarily to fund green-mobility projects near airports and ports.
The proposals come as Spain anticipates a record 94 million international arrivals in 2025—almost 20 million more than the pre-Covid peak. The Ministry of Ecological Transition has warned that coastal wastewater systems, airport ground handling and inter-island ferries are “operating at the edge of capacity” for three months each year. Tourism taxes earmarked for infrastructure upgrades and local-community funds are politically easier to enact than new emissions charges, officials concede.
For mobility and relocation managers, the shift matters on two fronts. First, per-diem budgets for visiting staff may need adjusting: a two-week assignment in Barcelona next summer could attract €189 in hotel levies alone. Second, corporate-housing providers that rely on short-stay licences could see regulation tighten as municipalities link higher taxes to stricter permitting.
While details will be finalised in regional parliaments over the next six months, the message is clear: Spain wants visitors to pay more of the external costs of tourism. Travel buyers should monitor legislative calendars and advise travellers accordingly—especially for large meetings and events scheduled after March 2026.
