Barcelona’s tourism tax is rising sharply from 1 April 2026, and public debate is already split. Some residents want the extra money to visibly relieve pressure on housing and daily services. Parts of the tourism industry argue the increase is too steep and should have been phased in. Whatever position someone takes on the tax itself, the next question is unavoidable: where should the additional revenue go first, and in which parts of the city should people feel it?
This proposal makes that choice explicit. It asks residents to rank spending approaches and to choose priority zones where interventions should be concentrated in 2026, rather than spreading funds too thinly to be noticed.
Comments are welcome, especially if you can point to daily pain points: overcrowded streets, waste, noise at night, or housing stress signals.
Concentrate funding on a small set of housing actions that can be reported clearly: acquisition and rehabilitation of units, targeted rent-support programs, and enforcement capacity tied to housing pressure.
It turns “tourism contributes to housing” into something residents can see and measure.
Fund visible service improvements where tourism pressure is highest: cleaning, waste, public toilets, crowd management, and targeted mobility measures, with service standards that are actually enforced.
Residents notice it quickly, especially in peak season.
Protect a defined housing share, then fund a smaller set of tourism-management projects with measurable targets, and publish a short quarterly update. Keep the plan tight to avoid “everything gets a little” spending.
It aims for balance without turning into vague promotion spending.
Explains the tax increase, the April 2026 timing, and the stated housing allocation share, plus reactions.
Details the new levels and how Barcelona’s total per-night amount can reach higher levels with the municipal surcharge.
Travel industry context on the doubled hotel tax beginning in April and potential implications for visitors.
