Palma17/05/2018 00:00
The Balearic government always maintained that the money from the tourist tax would be spent on making the islands a better place. Money would be earmarked to improve the resorts and ease the footprint of decades of tourism from the islands. I think most holidaymakers would accept that their money was being put to a good use by improving their favourite holiday islands. But after saying this, what the regional government can't do is to backtrack and spend the tourist tax cash on other projects which have little or nothing to do with tourism. It is simply not fair.
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A new reservoir is a good idea, collecting rainwater in all parts of the Island when it rains, would be very effective. But I would suggest building another Desalination Plant, although expensive, it does not rely on rainfall, only the conversion of sea water. Finally, when will we see accounts on Tourist Tax Revenues ?. The Hotels are Tax Collectors. But I have not seen any accounts, both incoming revenues, or outgoing expenditure
Gareth, couldn’t agree more. Maybe you and other readers should delve into the archives and find out who built the reservoirs both here and on the mainland long before tourism was a major factor in the islands prosperity and long before Spain joined the EU.
Tourist tax will disappear on to wasteful projects at exorbitant costs. I would be happy to see a new reservoir built then we will not suffer from water shortages in the future and blame the tourists. Our resident population will continue to grow, so we need to plan for 25 years ahead now.
Mallorca Zeitung (http://www.mallorcazeitung.es/lokales/2018/05/11/balearen-regierung-erklart-wofur-touristensteuer/59689.html) has written about the information campaign that has started/will start. A pamphlet or something similar in several languages will inform tourists what the tax will be used for. That includes a map of the island and the projects. That pamphlet will be distributed to hotels where tourists pay the tax.
Surely what is happening isn't just unfair, it's illegal ! Collection of monies under false pretences They really think we are stupid. Hate to say it, but we all knew what would happen Suggest the hotels refuse to collect the tax, until there is more transparency /accountability from the money grabbing local government.
I have always kept an open mind on the tourist tax ? Jason the people on here have told you what they thought about the tax and what would happen and you were still all for it .It`s only pennies you said well i will try to explain about them pennies . Me , my wife and son and daughter in law came back from Salou this week . We payed 28 euro`s , in Majorca we would have payed 112 euro`s .In anybody`s book that is not pennies .
Fat chance. The EU money was supposed to finance roads, trains, water projects and agriculture and not go into the back pockets of politicians, mayors and construction companies. Who, may I ask, funded Palma’s airport ?The same people ( Germans and British ) who are now being ripped off with this totally unacceptable and badly handled tax.