Beachgoers walk along the mostly empty Coogee Beach in Sydney

Beachgoers walk along the mostly empty Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia, August 23, 2022. REUTERS/Loren Elliott | LOREN ELLIOTT

Jason Moore23/09/2022 11:12
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THE Balearic government is pondering the possibility of raising the rate of the tourist tax at a time when households across Europe are watching their pennies because of the cost of living crisis. Already, there are fears about the season next year and any rise in the controversial levy would be stupid to say the least.

I have always believed that the Balearic government “got lucky with the tourist tax”. It was introduced about seven years ago when the sun was shining and the industry had few problems. In fact, it was relatively well received by tourists because at the end of the day it was a few euros and it was being spent to make Mallorca a better place.

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Fast forward to 2022 and some tourists and even the travel industry are in the dark about how the tax money is being spent and on what. At the time of the launch it was said that the money raised would be used to improve tourist resorts and ease the environmental footprint left by tourism over the last four decades.

However, part of the tourist tax cash is now being earmarked for housing and other projects not related to tourism. I don't think that tourists will mind paying the tax provided that the money is spent on tourism. This is not a normal tax, it is paid by people who have little connection with the island apart from a ten-day holiday once a year. It should be spent on projects which will benefit tourism not on housing or agriculture.