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One of Europe\u2019s top travel destinations\u00a0doesn\u2019t like tourists<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 or at least you\u2019d get that impression reading some of the unwelcoming slogans locals have graffitied across Barcelona.<\/p>\n The city now has a plan that could curb some of this tourism phobia<\/a>, while also helping with adaptation to climate change.<\/p>\n Barcelona\u2019s city hall launched a new strategy to direct\u00a0\u20ac100 million ($108 million) from its tourist tax<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 the charge travelers see at the\u00a0bottom of their hotel bill<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 to a fund that will install heat pumps and solar panels in state-owned schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n Using this tax for clear, long-term\u00a0green benefits could change the perception of the disruption caused by the city\u2019s guests.\u00a0Barcelona, the home of 1.6 million people, every year hosts about 7 million tourists, who add pressure to already strained services, such as waste removal. To deal with that,\u00a0local authorities have charged a tourist tax of \u20ac2.75 ($3) per person, for every night spent in the city, and will increase that to \u20ac3.25 ($4) from April 1.<\/p>\n \u201cSo far we have spent these taxes on compensating the impact tourists have on the city, including cleaning services, safety and public transport,\u201d says Jordi Valls, Barcelona\u2019s head of economic and tourism promotion. \u201cThis year we\u2019ve decided to go a step further and spend the tax on financing public services from a climate point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n Nestled on the Mediterranean shore, Barcelona\u2019s climate is changing fast as the world warms. The city has become hotter and drier in recent years, with authorities declaring a state of emergency for water earlier this month amid a three-year drought that\u2019s the worst on record.<\/p>\n High temperatures and longer heat waves have forced city hall to set up climate refuges where people can cool off in July and August. But increasing heat during school terms in June and September are making\u00a0children \u2014 and the classrooms they spend so much time in \u2014 a new focus.<\/p>\n With the tourist tax fund, Barcelona expects to install air conditioning systems powered by rooftop solar on a total of 170 schools by 2029. When possible, old and polluting gas boilers will be replaced with heat pumps.<\/p>\n \u201cClimate change is impacting our children and our schools \u2014 our infrastructure \u2013 is just not appropriate anymore,\u201d Valls says. \u201cThe school project substantially improves education as a public service, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n Authorities are planning to roll out 181,000 square meters (1.9 million square feet) of solar panels across school properties. As this will likely produce more power than these facilities need, officials want neighbors and other nearby public buildings to use that surplus, lowering electricity costs and providing clean energy for them too.<\/p>\n Barcelona\u2019s plan could provide a blueprint for other European cities that are also dealing with climate change and a boom in visitors. In Italy, Venice collected \u20ac37 million\u00a0in overnight tourist taxes in 2023, with hotels charging guests\u00a0anywhere between \u20ac1 and \u20ac5<\/a>. For now, current legislation forces the city to invest these funds in services and projects directly and indirectly linked to tourism, including security staff patrolling the city center, which is stormed every day by thousands of tourists.<\/p>\n Venice\u2019s\u00a0tourist tax<\/a>\u00a0also contributes to traditional cultural events, such as the Festa del Redentore in July, when a variety of boats parade\u00a0Saint Mark<\/a>\u2019s basin, as well as preservation of the environmental and artistic heritage of the city, such as the iconic La Fenice Opera House and Teatro Goldoni.<\/p>\n Since day-trippers don\u2019t pay the existing overnight tourist tax, starting on April 25 the city will charge them a\u00a0new\u00a0\u20ac5 daytime levy<\/a>\u00a0during the busiest days in spring and summer. The entry fee is aimed at reducing the downsides of mass tourism and helping to preserve the city\u2019s heritage.<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2025 we plan to use part of the funds to reduce the waste tax for residents, which is very high because of the high number of tourists coming here every day,\u201d says Michele Zuin, budget counselor for the city. \u201cThe rest of the sum will be used for maintenance works all over Venice.\u201d<\/p>\n Paris, Europe\u2019s most visited city, increased its overnight tax for tourists staying in the wider \u00cele de France region by 200% as of Jan. 1. The hike means visitors staying in one-star hotels now pay\u00a0\u20ac2.60 per night<\/a>, while those staying in ritzier digs pay \u20ac14.95 per night, compared to 0.80 cents and \u20ac4.60, respectively, prior to the change.<\/p>\n The government is expecting to collect\u00a0way more than the\u00a0\u20ac200 million\u00a0needed<\/a>\u00a0this year for\u00a0transportation upgrades, such as\u00a0several extensions of metro and train lines,\u00a0ahead of the\u00a02024 Summer Olympics, which is being promoted as the\u00a0greenest games yet<\/a>. It also aims to set\u00a0aside around \u20ac11\u00a0million for creating and maintaining green spaces.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, back in Barcelona, not everyone is convinced the new plans for the tourist tax are going far enough to offset the impacts of extra visitors.<\/p>\n A lot more could be done with the millions of euros tourists pour into the city every year, says Janet Sanz, a member of city council and the vice president for climate action in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. A significant chunk of the tax is still spent on promoting the city through tourism fairs and events and money, she says, would be better spent on new bike lanes and the expansion of green areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no need to promote such a well-known city,\u201d Sanz says. \u201cEveryone wants to live the \u2018Barcelona experience.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nSubscribe to the new Fortune CEO Weekly Europe newsletter to get corner office insights on the biggest business stories in Europe. 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