Major city doubles its visitor tax to become one of highest amid overtourism concerns

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As fashionable abrogation destinations proceed their crackdown connected overtourism, 1 large metropolis has precocious raised its traveler taxation — making it 1 of the highest successful Europe.

The metropolis of Barcelona, Spain, has astir doubled its edifice impermanent tax, from $5-$9 to $10-$17 per person, per nighttime — portion vacation rentals roseate from 12.5 euros per night, up from $7.24 to a maximum of $14.49, Reuters reported.

The alteration follows overcrowding concerns from section residents owed to the precocious fig of visitors and a shortage of affordable lodging for autochthonal Spaniards.

Barcelona citizens held a ample protestation past summer, adjacent spraying tourists with h2o guns, arsenic Fox News Digital antecedently reported.

Demonstrators marched with signs saying, "One much tourist, 1 little resident," and "Tourist Go Home." The demonstrators are demanding a reworking of their section economy.

Barcelona's tourer taxation is present astir treble what it was aft section citizens protested the emergence successful travelers flooding their metropolis past summer. (AP Photo/Pau Venteo)

Andreu Martínez of Spain humorously said astatine the clip that the usage of the squirt guns was to annoy the tourists a bit.

"Barcelona has been handed to the tourists," said Martínez. "This is simply a combat to springiness Barcelona backmost to its residents."

He said his rent had risen implicit 30%, with apartments successful his vicinity continually being rented retired for short-term abrogation usage instead.

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The determination parliament of Catalonia said it is readying to prohibition each short-term rental accommodation by 2028.

"I don’t deliberation this added disbursal is fair."

Short-term rentals in Barcelona person been stagnant for years, remaining astatine astir 10,000 since 2014, according to figures from Barcelona’s City Hall.

Barcelona metropolis information indicates astir 850,000 homes beryllium successful Barcelona, making the 10,000 oregon truthful short-term rentals a fraction of full housing.

Barcelona citizens held a ample protestation past summer, with immoderate spraying tourists with h2o guns to registry dismay astatine their presence. (AP Photo/Pau Venteo)

Italian caregiver Irene Verrazzo, who traveled to the city, told Reuters that Barcelona was already precise expensive. She said she would astir apt not sojourn again.

"I don’t deliberation this added disbursal is fair," she told Reuters. "They already marque wealth from tourists spending successful shops, visiting their monuments, etc."

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Barcelona edifice owners person expressed interest the taxation rise could deter excessively galore tourists from visiting.

Manel Casals, Barcelona's hoteliers' radical wide director, told Reuters that proposals to show the taxes' interaction and rise them gradually alternatively were ignored.