Tourist tax increase in Catalonia: When does it kick in?
When the tourist taxes are set to increase in Catalonia and what this means for holiday home hosts
August 2025
In May, the Catalonian government announced that tourist taxes would be increasing from May 1st. However, political instability and disagreements amongst lawmakers resulted in the tourist tax increase being delayed – causing some confusion among hosts who want to rent out their holiday homes. Until the political, legal, and bureaucratic waters settle, the Catalan Government has postponed the collection of the so-called Tourist Accommodation Tax (IEET), which is now on hold until after the summer.
This postponement, set until October, is the second one, following the previous one in May. On top of that, due to the processing times required in Parliament, this tax could be postponed again in the future. Below, we’ve put together a brief guide on the current state of the tourist tax in Catalonia, so you know what the situation is right now and how it affects hosts.
When does the tourist tax apply in Catalonia?
Earlier in the year, the Catalan Parliament approved a new law detailing higher tourist tax rates, which was set to be introduced from May. The rates were expected to increase to a maximum of 15 euros depending on accommodation type and location, as a way to limit overtourism.
However, representatives from the Generalitat’s Economy and Business departments later informed tourism sector officials that they would use a decree-law to postpone the implementation of this tourist tax increase. This means that instead of coming into effect from 1st May as originally planned, the tourist tax increase will be implemented from 1st October.
Until the new bill comes into effect in October, the Government wants to introduce various amendments that generate greater consensus among the different players in the sector. Similarly, it has stressed that they’ll take into account proposals from the tourism sector when drawing it up. The Government itself has recommended not collecting the tourist tax increase until at least October, the date when the law is expected to come into force.
Silvia Paneque, spokesperson for the Government, has assured that the processing period for the law in Parliament may be longer than the estimated delivery time, so it’s possible that a new postponement might be necessary in October. In any case, the Tourist Accommodation Tax (IEET) will begin to be applied in the first settlement period after the bill definitively comes into force.
What the new tourist tax regulations in Catalonia include
The new tourist tax regulations in Catalonia, whether definitively approved in October or later, will mean that holiday homes will see an increase in the regional tax applied to billing guests. The decree also allows local councils to apply surcharges to the rate. It’s worth noting that the tax varies depending on where the holiday home is located. Therefore, the increase is higher in areas with a significant tourist density (such as Barcelona) and lower in areas less frequented by tourism.
Holiday rentals located outside of Barcelona and falling under category EB4 will be subject to a regional tax of 2 euros per day, to which a maximum of 4 euros can be added as a municipal surcharge. This means the maximum total tourist tax per day of accommodation will be 6 euros in those areas. In Barcelona, the regional tax is 4.5 euros and the new municipal surcharge can go up to 8 euros, making a total Catalan tourist tax of 12.5 euros per day.
The aim of the tax increase is to raise funds to improve Catalonia’s tourist infrastructure and services, as well as to promote Catalan tourism and facilitate greater access to housing for citizens. The new tourist tax regulations in Catalonia are shaping up to be a step towards achieving this. In fact, it has already been made public that the revenue will be allocated to housing policies (25%) and the Fund for Tourism Promotion (74%).
The measure isn’t without its detractors within the sector, as the increase in rates could lead visitors to seek cheaper alternatives for their short or holiday stays.
How the tourist tax changes affect hosts
Understandably, the situation with the tourist tax in Catalonia has caused uncertainty among property owners looking to rent out their holiday homes or flats. Hosts will need to take action when advertising their holiday home, as these adverts will have to include the updated tourist tax rate.
Until October, this tax increase won’t be applied, so for now hosts will be paying the same tourist tax rates. However, it’s a good idea to prepare for it, as it won’t be long before it becomes a reality. So, it’s advisable for hosts to review all their active listings in Catalonia and find out how to modify that amount, as it will soon need to appear updated. Hosts are responsible for collecting the tourist tax and indicating the tax amount on the invoice separately and apart from the services rendered.
You may want to use a platform like Holidu that allows you to publish one ad over multiple booking platforms, so you only need to update the ad once and these changes will be reflected across all the platforms you advertise on.
It’s obvious that, with the updated rates, guests will have to pay more, and that forces hosts to make an extra effort to convince them that paying that amount will have been worth it. Therefore, hosts will need to increase their efforts in terms of marketing, online and offline presence, and offer the highest possible quality of accommodation.
An easy way to do this is through having high quality photographs featured in your listings, which really showcase the full potential of your property and make it stand out. You can actually get a professional photoshoot for free if you join Holidu as a Holidu host and advertise your holiday home on Holidu’s website!
How to pay the tourist tax in Catalonia
The tourist tax in Catalonia is mandatory for hosts and they will have to settle it in the proposed legal manner. Hosts are required to take the tourist tax from guests either at check-in or check-out, and settlements are made in half-yearly periods. The next scheduled deadline for settling stays between 1 April and 30 September 2025, is from 1 to 20 October.
In Catalonia, settlements must be done electronically, for which it’s necessary to complete form 950. The Catalan Tax Agency (My ATC Space) has enabled a website where the procedure can be carried out. Simply login to the portal and find the section for managing the Impuesto sobre las Estancias en Establecimientos Turísticos (IEET).
Tourist tax changes in a nutshell
Operationally, the increase in Catalonia’s tourist tax will slightly impact holiday rental management. In practical terms: hosts will update the tourist tax on their listings, collect more taxes from guests, and declare them half-yearly. The channels for doing so will remain the same: the host will collect the new tourist tax from the guest and declare it via the Tax Agency’s website.
So, as a property owner, you’ll simply need to pay attention to the law’s entry into force, which could be postponed again, and keep your website or holiday rental portal updated. Above all, you must ensure you’re charging guests the correct tax.
Now that you have more information about the tourist tax in Catalonia, mark the October date in your calendar, pay attention to the news, and keep pushing initiatives to differentiate your holiday rental from other holiday accommodations.