Tourist tax
Tourist tax being “urgently” pushed through to meet June start
The Majorca Hoteliers Federation will look at taking legal measures and “will exhaust” them until they find a solution.
Nautical
Balearics was national leader for boat registrations
There were more boats registered in the Balearics last year than anywhere else in Spain, 709 vessels in all having been registered.
Tourist tax
Tourist tax to be introduced on 1 June
"The tax was a social demand on behalf of a majority of citizens who had voted for change."
Weather
High winds batter Majorca
All four islands experienced winds of up to Force 7 (near gales) and waves of three metres.
Nature
Research finds 400 sperm whales off the Balearics
This association has photographed and identified 86 examples of sperm whale over the past thirteen years, leading it to estimate that the community is around 400.
Tourist tax
Tourist tax draft to be approved Friday
There is to now be a 50% reduction from the tenth day of a stay.
Transport
Air Berlin hub closure will mean 600,000 fewer passengers
The airports authority Aena calculates that the 600,000 passengers who had been passing through the Air Berlin hub represent 1.2% of total passenger numbers at Son Sant Joan.
Nautical
Over 4,000 people on the waiting list for a mooring in the Balearics
The government is attempting to “debug” this waiting list and is confident that in 2016 the nineteen ports in all will find their lists being revised.
Economy
Unemployment falls by almost 10% in the Balearics
Registered unemployment in the Balearics fell last year to 75,784 unemployed.
Politics
Equality and employment, key issues for Armengol
“We must work so that young people find work, so that older people can return to work."
Society
First baby of the year arrived at ten past midnight
Mohamed Bouvah, whose parents are Moroccan, weighed in at 3,520 grams (seven pounds, twelve ounces).
Crime
New Year’s Eve knife attack in Palma
The emergency service number took 912 calls over New Year’s Eve from 8pm until 8am.
Tourism
British dominate tourism market
British holidaymakers have traditionally proven to be resilient travellers and it is likely that this will continue in 2016.
Tourism
Britons snapping up Balearic bargains
“As soon as the turkey was wolfed down, the all-out frenzy of 2016 holiday booking began”
Society
El Gordo lottery brings respite from political worries, Balearic winners
This year’s biggest winner of the top prize was in the coastal tourist town of Roquetas de Mar in the southern region of Almeria.
Society
Balearics crosses its fingers for the big El Gordo lottery draw
Long lines formed as people hoped to buy a winning share in El Gordo, which will hand out 2.24 billion euros.
Election 20D
Podemos becomes the second political force in the Balearics
PSOE, which had been the second force in terms of percentage of the vote, saw its position slip to third behind Podemos. Its worst performance ever in the Balearics.
Election 20D
Partido Popular wins, but uncertainty is total
PP loses a third of seats in Congress. Rajoy intends to form a government though. PSOE loses seats, but the result is not as catastrophic as had been predicted. The C's perform less well than opinion polls had suggested. Podemos emerges as the third force. PP wins in the Balearics - three seats, but these are two fewer than in 2011.
Economy
Investment tax incentives proposed for the Balearics
These incentives would correspond to the establishment of a business investment zone in the Balearics similar to that which exists in the Canaries.
Police
Balearics one of five Tráfico targets because of accident rate
The Balearics is one of five parts of Spain in which Tráfico has launched specific measures against road accidents.
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