Spain tourist tax - how much is tourist tax for Majorca, Benidorm, Barcelona and more

Tourist tax in Spain is a controversial topic among hoteliers and visitors, but something there is no getting away from if you choose to travel to the country's most popular holiday spots.

The decision to charge a levy is left up to local authorities, meaning those that do charge the tax can have different rates and eligibility.

Although the majority of the country is tourist tax-free, some of the most popular areas of Spain now charge a fee for tourists to help pay for infrastructure, resources, amenities and even to reduce the number of visitors at peak times. A family of four could easily face paying hundreds of extra euros for a week away to the most expensive destinations (check out our calculator at the bottom of this article). This, along with essentials like travel insurance and luggage, could quickly make a cheap deal look much more pricey.

Currently, Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera, some parts of the Canary Islands, and Catalonia (including Barcelona) charge a tourist tax. Valencia (which includes Benidorm) was due to launch its tourist tax in December 2023 but it was ultimately scrapped following local elections.

Madrid has also discussed the introduction of a tariff on numerous occasions but has not yet implemented one. Parts of Andalusia, such as Seville, Granada and Malaga, have also expressed interest in introducing a tourist tax, while northern regions Galicia and San Sebastian are also considering introducing a charge.

Each area charges the tax slightly differently, which we’ve broken down for you below. Or use our Spain tourist tax calculator to see exactly what you'll need to pay in 2026.

Tourist tax for Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca, Formentera (Balearic Islands)

The Balearic Islands has charged a tourist tax covering all islands on the archipelago – Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera - since 2016, in a bid to make tourism more sustainable and preserve the environment.

The cost for each visitor is between €1-€4 per night depending on the type of accommodation they are staying in and whether at high or low season, with those in the most luxurious hotels during peak season paying the most.

Campers and those staying in hostels or lodgings pay €1 a day, cruise passengers (no matter the length of their visit) and those in budget hotels and apartments up to 3 stars pay €2, mid-range accommodation visitors pay €3, and luxury hotel guests pay €4 a day.

Rates reduce by 75% during low season between November 1 and April 30.

They are: Hostel dwellers and campers pay 25 cents a day, cruise passengers and budget hotel and apartment guests up to 3 stars pay 50 cents, 3 star 'superior' and 4 star hotels charge 75 cents and 4 star 'superior' and five star luxury hotels charge €1.

Children under 16 are exempt. Those staying longer will have a 50% discount applied starting on the ninth day of staying at the same accommodation.

The Balearic Islands' government has repeatedly announced plans to increase the Sustainable Tourism Tax during the peak summer months of June, July, and August. Initial proposals suggested raising the lowest rate to €2.50 per night, pushing the highest 5-star rate to €6.00 per night, and aggressively increasing the cruise ship passenger rate to €6.00.

However, these exact figures remain unconfirmed. Following fierce pushback from the hotel and travel industry in early 2026, government officials have indicated that these peak-season hikes are still being debated in parliament and may potentially be delayed until 2027. For now, the standard €1 to €4 rates remain in place.

Tourist tax for Barcelona

Barcelona is now one of the most heavily taxed tourist cities in Europe. Visitors are charged a combined tax that includes both a Regional Catalonia Tax and a Municipal Barcelona Surcharge. Both of these taxes saw massive hikes starting April 1, 2026.

As part of a new law to curb overtourism and fund affordable housing, the Catalan regional parliament officially doubled its baseline tax in April 2026. On top of this, the Barcelona City Council increased its municipal surcharge from €4 to €5 per night (with plans to continue raising it by €1 each year until it hits €8 in 2029).

This means a stay in Barcelona is significantly more expensive than it used to be. As of April 2026, those in luxury 5-star hotels pay a combined €12.00 per night (€7 regional + €5 municipal). Those in 4-star hotels pay €8.40 per night.

Housing for tourist use, such as Airbnbs, are charged €9.50 a night, with lower-ranked hostels and budget 3-star establishments costing €7.00 a night.

Interestingly, recent 2026 legislation spared cruise passengers from the new municipal hikes. Cruise passengers visiting the city for the day will continue to pay a flat €6.00 rate to the regional government.

Children under 17 are entirely exempt from the tourist tax in both Barcelona and the wider Catalonia region.

Total Barcelona rates from April 1, 2026 (Regional + Municipal Surcharge combined):

Tourist tax for Catalonia

Outside of Barcelona, the rest of Catalonia still charges a tourist tax. Because this is only collected by the regional authority (without the €5 Barcelona city surcharge), it is much cheaper—but it can still add up for a family staying for a week.

As mentioned, on April 1, 2026, the region effectively doubled its base rates to combat mass tourism. (Catalonian municipalities outside of Barcelona also have the legal power to add their own €4/night surcharges, though most have not done so yet).

Looking at just the Catalonia regional charges, the tourist tax is now between €2.00 and €7.00 a night, depending on the type of accommodation.

Those in a 5-star hotel are now charged €7.00, dropping to €3.40 for those in 4-star hotels.

So-called 'housing for tourist use' such as an Airbnb, now costs €4.50 a night, with other basic establishments (like hostels, camping, and 3-star hotels) costing €2.00.

The tax is applied per person, per night, up to a maximum of seven consecutive nights in the same accommodation. Cruise ship passengers pay a flat €6.00 fee.

Children under 17 are exempt from the tourist tax in Catalonia.

Catalonia regional rates from April 1, 2026:

Tourist tax for Benidorm and Valencia

The Valencia region, which includes Benidorm, Alicante and Valencia city itself, officially scrapped plans to introduce a tourist tax after uproar from local communities.

The scheme was originally due to come in during 2024, but was withdrawn after the Valencia region elected Carlos Mazón as the new president of the Generalitat.

However, the region, which includes Benidorm, is a highly visited place so it's worth explaining what the charges would have been to give an idea of what could potentially happen if debate arises again.

The agreed charges were between 50 cents and €2 a night, depending on the type of accommodation. A 50 cents charge was to be imposed on campers and €2 for hotel and apartment stays. Cruise passengers would also have had to pay.

Eco tax for Tenerife and Lanzarote

The Canary Islands have been a focal point for overtourism protests recently, with famous global travel publishers previously adding the hotspots to their 'No-go Lists' citing "unsustainable" pressure on water and housing caused by the millions of people who visit annually.

While there is still no blanket regional tourist tax across the entire Canary Islands archipelago, individual municipalities have finally begun taking action in 2025 and 2026.

The town of Mogán in Gran Canaria made history by becoming the first in the Canaries to implement a daily tourist tax of €0.15 per night for all visitors. Meanwhile, local councils in Tenerife have started charging an 'eco-fee' to enter major natural attractions like Mount Teide. These fees range between €3 and €15 per person per visit, with the money exclusively used for environmental conservation.

Spain tourist tax for Airbnb stays

Holidaymakers booking through Airbnb must also pay a tourist tax when visiting the areas of Spain that have introduced the charge.

This is not always included in the price quoted for an accommodation, and Airbnb cannot currently collect this money on behalf of all local authorities in Spain. However, it is in constant talks to streamline this process.

As such, the tourist tax in Spain is usually paid for on arrival or via a third party. Airbnb already automatically collects tourist tax for other European countries including Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands.

Spain tourist tax calculator

Want to quickly calculate how much Spain tourist tax you'll owe based on the latest 2026 rates? Enter a few details into our Spain tourist tax calculator below and get an instant estimate:

Spain tourist tax

Here are all the Spain tourist tax charges as of April 2026:

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