Tourism has been a fundamental sector for Catalonia for years, especially since the 1992 Olympic Games. It's a business that generates direct and indirect economic activity, as well as many jobs. According to the latest Social Security data, in November, more than 291,000 people in Catalonia were registered with the hospitality industry, travel agencies, and tour operators, of whom 235,000 were salaried employees—the rest were self-employed. This represents around 8% and 7% of the total, respectively. Although there are many ways to calculate it, depending on the activities involved, it's estimated that the tourism sector can account for roughly 10% of the gross domestic product (GDP), that is, one-tenth of the wealth generated in the country in a year. But it doesn't only generate positive externalities, but also negative ones. Visitors use the services and infrastructure of towns and cities, generating additional costs that local councils must cover. There are few ways to mitigate these effects. One is to raise taxes on all citizens, who end up paying more to partially cover the needs of temporary residents. This is the approach that cities like the Catalan capital, Barcelona, ​​have tried to offset with a surcharge of four euros per night, which will rise to five once the agreement on the tourist tax between the Socialists, ERC, and Comuns comes into effect. In fact, the City Council has repeatedly stated that the municipal government has not raised taxes on families and SMEs thanks to tourism and the surcharge applied to the city.

The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), and the Comuns party have reached an agreement to increase the tourist tax in Catalonia. This measure was initially promoted by the Catalan government after reaching an agreement with the Comuns in February of last year, but it was not ratified by the Catalan Parliament due to disagreements with the ERC regarding the application criteria. These differences have now been resolved, and the government and its partners have agreed on several joint amendments with the aim of definitively approving the law in Parliament in February, so that it can begin to be applied in April, with the start of the new tax collection period. The new tourist tax will double once the law is approved. The increase will be 100% during this legislative term, but its implementation will not take place in a single year but over two. Thus, the rate will finally double in 2027. The text of the joint amendments maintains the requirement that 25% of the surcharge be allocated to housing policies of the Generalitat (Catalan government). Furthermore, a single payment period is established in April, thereby "simplifying" the system and "facilitating" compliance. Until now, the rate was due between April 1st and 20th, and between October 1st and 20th. Regarding the municipal surcharge, which until now only Barcelona applied to the tourist tax, starting in April, all municipalities will be able to decide when and how to apply it, as demanded by Esquerra Republicana (ERC) to break the territorial uniformity. Municipalities will also be able to adapt it to their neighborhoods, also depending on the type of accommodation. Thus, for example, each municipality will be able to decide whether to apply the tax year-round, during a specific period of the season, or during both annual tourist periods. This surcharge will be a maximum of 4 euros and may not exceed the amount of the Generalitat's fee, in order to guarantee fairness and legal certainty. The revenue will go to the municipalities themselves. The Catalan Government agreed with the Comuns party almost a year ago to double the fee for tourist establishments, which is collected equally by the Generalitat and the municipalities, and that half of what the Government collects would be allocated to housing access policies. The main point of contention with the Republicans was the increase in this fee outside of Barcelona: they demanded that the fee be lower in other Catalan municipalities than in the Catalan capital, and that there be differentiated fees between the summer and winter seasons.

The increase in the tourist tax has sparked rejection from the sector. After hoteliers warned that the increase could endanger The holding of congresses like Mobile World Congress is now being handled by the cruise industry association. "This will pose a difficulty, especially for middle-income tourists," said Alfredo Serrano, director of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

Barcelona City Council approved an increase in the city's tourist tax to 8 euros over four years. The council has thus approved the proposal by Esquerra (Republican Left), which seeks to increase the current tax by one euro per year, doubling it and setting it at the legal limit established by law in 2029.

At the dawn of the summer season, the tourist tax will be applied unchanged. This law must now be processed in Parliament. That is, at least until after the summer. It is during this process that the Government must agree on the demands of the Republicans and the Commons for the law to be approved. Uniform application. In fact, the postponement that Parliament approved this Wednesday comes after the clash between the executive and the two partners This forced the government to agree on a new decree. Jéssica Albiach's group voted against the postponement agreed between the government and the Republicans, because they opposed the changes that the ERC wanted to introduce. A month ago, the Commons reached an agreement with the executive and agreed to postpone the decree. in exchange for allocating another 60 million in housing policies.

The give and take between Esquerra and Comuns over the tourist tax This Wednesday, the Parliament reached an unexpected result: the lack of agreement between the two partners of the Government has derailed the postponement of the increase in this tax, approved by the executive following complaints from Republicans and an opposing opinion from the Council of Statutory Guarantees. However, a first decree agreed upon with Comuns (not with ERC) has been validated, which gave the green light to doubling the tax rate throughout Catalonia and the possibility for municipalities to establish a surcharge of up to four euros (and up to eight in Barcelona). In other words: the Catalan Parliament has approved the new regulations, but not its postponement, contrary to the opinion of the Catalan government and the sector's requests.

Negotiating a three-way pact on two sides has its dangers, and the Government is already beginning to see some of them. an agreement to double the tourist tax in CataloniaThis week, the Catalan government was forced to backtrack and postpone its implementation following complaints from the ERC (Republican Workers' Party) and a warning from the Council of Statutory Guarantees. The new rate was due to apply starting this Thursday, May 1st, but with this decision, hotels, cruise ships, and holiday apartments will be able to spend the summer using the old rates if there are no last-minute changes.

Catalonia will double the tourist tax and allocate 25% of its income to combat the housing crisis. This has been agreed by the Government and the Communes in the framework of a new package of fiscal measures to deal with the impact of tourism and combat property speculation. The increase in the amount will apply to all establishments – from hostels to hotels of all categories, tourist apartments or cruises – and all the municipalities of Catalonia will be authorized to establish a surcharge of up to four euros on the tax, which until now only Barcelona could do. This was explained in a press conference by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Alícia Romero, and the leader of the Communes in the Parliament, Jéssica Albiach. The announcement has raised a storm within the sector, but both have defended making tourists pay more to inject resources into public services. "It is fair," said the Minister. With these changes, the Generalitat expects to earn up to another 100 million euros.

Halfway through Colau's second term, parties have begun to make moves with the 2023 mayoral elections in mind. The plenary session this Friday had two unknowns: whether the former French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, would make some reference to his departure - which di not happen - and how parties would readjust to ERC leader Ernest Maragall's announcement they would begin a new stage of greater confrontation with Colau and Collboni's team. In addition, the discrepancies between the coalition partners are becoming increasingly evident. The change in tone of the Republicans has been clear in a proposal that sought the first reprobation against the mayoral team. Specifically, three socialist councillors (Jaume Collboni, Montserrat Ballarín and Xavier Marcé) were criticised over the way they managed the implementation of the municipal surcharge to the tourist tax, originally an ERC proposal but which they and all the opposition now consider should be postponed to give the tourist sector time to get back on its feet. However, Barcelona city council kept the additional 75-cent-a-night tax for visitors starting on June 1st, as it believes it will not change tourists' plans.