Spanish holiday hotspot wages fresh war at tourists as it plans to quadruple parking fee

Authorities in Barcelona have announced their latest overtourism plan to increase parking fees. (Image: Getty)

According to data from the Barcelona Council, some 156,000 coaches drive around the Catalonian capital every year, which amounts to an average of more than 40 per day. This has become a big problem - blocking traffic in some areas of the city, particularly around the iconic Sagrada Familia and, more recently, the Ronda Universitat.  

As authorities continue to look for ways to get on top of the city’s mass tourism problem, the latest plan aims to reduce the number of tourist buses in the city centre by charging them a lot more to park.

According to municipal data, parking in the city centre currently has an average price of 20 euros (£16.80) per day for tourist buses.

The City Council estimates that the number of day-trippers to Barcelona amounts to around 10 million (Image: Getty)

If the new plan is approved, they will be required to pay close to 80 euros (£67.30) instead, according to The Local. 

The City Council estimates that the number of day-trippers to Barcelona amounts to around 10 million a year. This usually includes cruise passengers but also those bused in from other nearby locations for the day. By comparison, annual overnight stays in hotels and Airbnbs are around 12 million. 

The new proposal - dubbed Bus Zone 4.0 by the council - aims to limit the circulation of coaches to 70,000 in 2025 and plans on removing parking spaces for buses in Barcelona’s central areas. The council wishes to raise around four million euros (£3.4 million) annually from these parking fee increases, as well as discourage them from coming in the first place.

The fees must be included in modification of the 2025 tax ordinances. However, this latest anti-mass tourism move is far from being a done deal, as it will require a majority vote and negotiations before it can be passed. 

If approved, it will become part of the Catalan government’s Measure for Tourism Management plan, which together has a total of 55 measures with a budget of €254.7 million (£214.3 million) until 2027.

Thegovernment's Measure for Tourism Management plan has a budget of £214.3 million until 2027 (Image: Getty)

This plan includes continuing the Management Plan for High Traffic Spaces, which studies how to avoid the overcrowding of areas such as the Rambla or Sagrada Familia. It also includes the creation of a Citizen Return Fund for Tourism, the review of the tourist tax and the Special Urban Plan for Tourist Accommodation. The latter includes the plan to get rid of all tourist apartments in the Catalan capital by November 2028.

A new city tax was also recently introduced and, from October, will see tourists pay four euros (£3.37) per night. The current fee stands at 3.25 euros (£2.73) per night for up to seven nights. 

Tourists will be required to pay this tax regardless of where they stay. Visitors will also be required to pay a regional tax on stays in tourist establishments on top of this. 

As a result, from this autumn, tourists to Barcelona will have to pay between five and 7.50 euros (£6.31) per night. In total, tourists could pay as much as £44 for a week’s stay in the city.