Greater return for the city from the tourist tax

Greater return for the city from the tourist tax

Tourism. Investment in projects in the spheres of culture, management and economic promotion with a value of four million euros.

Eight projects in the spheres of culture, management and the economic promotion of the city, with a value of 4.02 million euros, will be funded with money from the tax on overnight stays in tourist accommodation. The funding comes in addition to the 18.02 million euros from this term of office which has been invested in projects with a return for the city.

The projects to be funded are:

  • Funding for the mediation service between tenant/owner communities and tourist accommodation management (HUT) to improve coexistence between resident housing communities and tourists staying in accommodation.
  • Action by the Barcelona Tourist Consortium for the consolidation and sustainability of the tourism model, the decentralisation of activity, strengthening of digitalisation and boosting commerce and local restaurants, plus new content based on culture, creativity, quality and the values that set Barcelona apart and projects to generate economic activity, such as congresses, meetings and events in the city.
  • “Multidisciplinary research, talent and culture for Barcelona” and “Science, technology and society”, two projects in collaboration with the BIST and the BSC to contribute to the city’s capital role and its international projection as a leading city in research and knowledge transfer.
  • “Viu Montjuïc, el parc de la cultura 2025”, a set of activities jointly organised by cultural operators active in Montjuïc and the local community fabric in adjacent neighbourhoods, also including the promotion of activities to rediscover the historical and natural heritage of the Parc de Montjuïc.
  • Support for different activities in the creative industries and parallel activities for the temporary exhibitions of the DHUB 2024, such as the Festival OFFF, Llum BCN and the exhibitions “100 IKEA objects we would have liked having at VINÇON” and “The ocean speaks. New ecologies and new economies of the seas”.

Projects that give something back to the city

With these nine projects, 22.82 million euros raised by the tax on overnights stays in tourist accommodation has been invested during the current term of office. In addition, and as an outstanding project, 100 million euros from the surcharge applied by the city during this term of office will be invested in the School Climate Plan, with climate control systems being installed in the city’s schools.

The revenue from taxes on tourism is currently the third largest source of municipal income, bringing in over 100 million euros a year once the latest rises in municipal charges and the recent amendment to the tourist tax are applied. The latter was raised to the legal maximum of 4 euros in October.