Tourism

Eight new city projects are being funded through 7.69 million euros from the revenue generated by the Tax on Overnight Stays in Tourist Accommodation (IEET). The Government Commission approved the initiatives in the spheres of culture, gastronomy, sport, the blue economy and sustainable mobility, furthering the policies to improve the management of tourism in the city and increase the social return for citizens, as well as the promotion of the strategic tourism model sought by the city.

The most notable project to get backing is Viu la vela, an initiative to introduce sailing as a sport among young people in the city. The project will get more than a million euros and should see 17,000 sixth-year primary school children from the city’s 359 schools visit one of the city’s sailing schools. The initiative is part of the drive to promote the blue economy in the city, promoting the Barcelona coast as a regular, safe and attractive place to go sailing.

The other projects to get funding through the budgetary item approved by the Government Commission are:

• Presence at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE2024), with Barcelona Activa and the Clúster Audiovisual Català on a stand of 250 m2 to highlight the creativity of the audiovisual sector in the city. The funding from the IEET will be 484,000 euros.
• Barcelona Viu el Dakar, a project recovering the city’s ties with the Dakar Rally and taking advantage of the fact that in December the Port de Barcelona will be the point of embarkation for vehicles taking part in the 2024 edition. The funding provided will be 150,000 euros.
• Promotion of Blue Tourism, within the framework of the America’s Cup. A series of actions will be organised to support the Fundació Barcelona Capital Nàutica (FBCN). Funding of 4.93 million euros will be provided to help promote nautical sports, the blue economy and the culture of the sea.
• Conceptualisation and design of the campaign to promote strategic international tourism: Impact on markets and sectors helping towards a tourism model based on the city’s’ attributes and interests, such as sustainability, sustainable mobility, innovative architecture, gastronomic excellence and a commitment to people. Funding of 150,000 euros to be provided.
• Beat Barcelona. The municipal space inside the Mobile World Congress (MWC) will again show the fair’s 100,000 professional visitors the appeal of the city’s gastronomy, festivals, technology and attractions. Funding of 350,000 euros to be provided.
• 25th anniversary of ArticketBCN is a media campaign to introduce this tool that promotes six of the most important art museums in Barcelona: the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), the Fundació Joan Miró, the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB), the Fundació Antoni Tàpies and the Museu Picasso. The IEET will contribute 185,000 euros to this campaign.
• The project Plaça de Barcelona, which consists of the design of a travelling exhibition highlighting the Barcelona brand. The exhibition will use a hexagonal wooden and metal structure and feature 360-degree screens, offering an interactive virtual reality experience. The project will get 471,500 euros in funding from the IEET.

Tourism-related revenue up

Municipal coffers are expected to receive around 20 million euros in revenue from the IEET in 2024, which comes in addition to the funds generated through the specific municipal surcharge, introduced in 2022. Tourism-related tax revenue is set to become the third biggest source of municipal income, generating nearly 100 million euros a year.

Besides the eight projects agreed on, other initiatives to benefit from this source of revenue include the recently announced Pla Clima Escola BCN, the plan to introduce or upgrade climate control at 170 city schools between 2024 and 2029.