Editorial: You can’t be serious?

WELL, the Balearic economy is not doing very well so then lets tax the visiting tourist. Yes, unfortunately this was suggested in the Balearic Parliament yesterday by the opposition socialist group who want to reintroduce the failed tourist tax. The levy, introduced by the socialist-led Balearic Government in 2002, involved charging holidaymakers one euro per person for coming to the island on holiday. Thankfully it was scrapped and only lasted for a few months. But now it has returned to haunt us again. The chances that the tax will be reintroduced are highly unlikely because the ruling Partido Popular has a majority and slammed the idea yesterday. But it does show that the socialists have no idea about tourism and it is a proposal which has more to do with the local elections next year than the actual tourist industry. What concerns me is that at a time when tourists are watching their pennies the socialists want to introduce a levy on them. Ok, one euro is not alot of money and some tourists would probably be willing to pay it, but it shows you just how out of touch local political parties  are when it comes to our principal industry. Tourists are already paying towards the local economy by just being here.  This levy is a stupid idea which could cause plenty of damage. Sometimes Idespair. If tourists know they have to pay a tax then they will simply go elsewhere and the Balearics will have no money at all.