Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni Plans to End Cruise Ship Stopovers

Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni announced his intention to eliminate cruise‑ship stopovers in the city, aiming to "reduce them to zero". He argues that these short‑stay vessels use public space intensively without contributing revenue to the local economy.

To discourage such visits, Collboni proposes a sharp increase in the tourist tax. From 1 April 2026 the tax for cruise passengers staying more than 12 hours will rise to €9 per person (including €5 municipal surcharge), while those staying less than 12 hours will pay €11 (including €6 municipal surcharge). He also said a further €3 increase is planned for 2027. The mayor wants the additional revenues to fund the public services used by cruise tourists. The measures require approval by the Barcelona city council plenary and the endorsement of the Catalan government.

In 2025 Barcelona recorded a record year for tourism, with 895 cruise arrivals – a 13.1 % increase over the previous year – and a total of 3,999,258 cruise passengers, contributing to the city’s 16 million total visitors.