British backing for Matas´s plans to scrap tourist tax

NEWLY elected Balearic leader Jaume Matas yesterday received the nod of approval from the hotel sector, at home and overseas, as well as tour operators and industry governing bodies for his plans to scrap the tourist tax. ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, which initially threatened to boycott the Balearics and cancel plans to hold its annual conference in Palma, said yesterday it is “very pleased to see that the new Balearic government will be scrapping the so-called eco-tax. It was always an unfair burden, in particular for families on a light budget, and we hope the government will look to better sources of revenue to continue improving the environment.” Doing away with the tax, introduced in May last year, was included in the Partido Popular's manifesto. The Balearics' three leading hotel chains, Barceló, Riu and Sol Meliá all expressed their approval of Matas's intentions to scrap the tax which, according to the various spokespersons for the three hotel chains “has caused a lot of damage” to the local tourist industry. The hotel sector has been opposed to the tax since the start. All communications between the government and hoteliers completely broke down as the government went ahead with the tax, against the wishes of the hotel sector and the industry as a whole, including the world's leading tour operators and travel associations which all advised the government against the levy.