Barcelona to impose higher taxes on tourist apartments surpassing 5-star hotel rates
In a controversial move, Barcelona City Council is gearing up for a significant tax increase on stays in tourist apartments, scheduled to take effect in April 2024. The proposal, if approved, will require tourists opting for holiday apartments to pay a daily tax of 6.25 euros, surpassing the 5 euros currently in place.
Astonishingly, this elevated tax rate will put these taxes on par with guests of 5-star luxury hotels and upscale campgrounds, who will not experience any tax hike.
This development has triggered a backlash from the Association of Tourist Apartments of Barcelona (APARTUR), which labels the measure as regressive. They argue that it unfairly burdens families, forcing them to pay the same rate as the affluent individuals lodging in five-star hotels across Barcelona.
APARTUR has directed its ire towards Barcelona's mayor, Jaume Collboni, accusing him of prioritizing the interests of the hotel industry and "big capital" over the 5,000 small-scale proprietors of legally registered tourist accommodations in the city.
Enrique Alcántara, the president of APARTUR, has called on the council to crack down on illegal supply that escapes taxation instead of impeding a sector that annually contributes more than 347 million euros to the public treasury. This debate over tax policy in the tourist accommodation sector is set to continue, with potential implications for visitors and property owners in the beautiful city of Barcelona.
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