“The government were wrong to use tourist tax cash for music awards...”

“The government were wrong to use tourist tax cash for music awards...” | T. AYUGA

Jason MoorePalma30/11/2021 10:14
TW
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Using tourist cash to pay for an international music awards ceremony with a line-up which included Ed Sheeran was a big mistake by the Balearic government but I sincerely doubt that it will force them to have a tourist tax rethink. The bottom-line is that the event was well received locally with many supporting the government line that it gave the island international promotion.

But let us remember that the tax was sold to the tourist industry and the visiting holidaymaker “as a small price to pay for easing the environmental footprint of mass tourism over decades.” Yes, the money would be used to help the industry and make the island a better place. Even before the music awards some were questioning where the money was being sent.....now they have plenty of ammunition to blast the government.

But the tourist tax has strong support locally and I doubt that the moans and groans from local hoteliers will go too far but they have proved a point and I doubt that the Balearic government will make the same mistake twice. The levy was always going to be unpopular with some sections of the tourist industry and as I have said in this space before it would be a good idea if it was scaled back until the tourist industry recovered from the pandemic.

We are still not out of the woods yet and tourism is still suffering. The industry needs all the help it can get and although the charge is small if it was scrapped it could make a difference.