A total of 11,985 tourist establishments beat the Sunday midnight deadline to register for the charging of the tourist tax. The Balearic tax agency, which had been feeding figures as to the numbers registered all last week, expected a rush to register, and so it proved: the final total is almost four times what it was a week ago.
The requirement to register provoked some complaints. There were problems with the website because of the heavy demand to register, while owners or managing agents of holiday rentals said that there were logistical difficulties with registration. The federation for holiday stays had asked for an extension to the deadline, to which the tax agency had appeared amenable last week in certain instances. However, the regional government deemed that this would not be possible. Finance minister Catalina Cladera instead declared that the process of registration had gone ahead without problems, as had been the case with the actual introduction of the tax on 1 July.
Hotels appear to have experienced few or no difficulties with registration, and where there have been difficulties - for holiday rentals' registrations - the head of the tax agency, Maria Antonia Truyols, says that her department dealt with 280 consultations and some 4,800 emails requiring advice or assistance.
According to tourism ministry figures, there are 9,175 authorised holiday rentals' properties in Majorca. Of these, only 5,968 met the deadline. Across the Balearics as a whole, 8,670 such properties are now registered for the tax. Those properties which are registered as from now will face the payment of a surcharge (there is a basic fine of 400 euros for failure to register). New properties for holiday rental will not be affected.
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As a small hotelier I find it almost criminally negligent how some establishments approach their statutory obligations. I have yet, ever, to receive an intelligent answer as to why these folks always leave it to the last minute. Is that good customer service? Is it good business practice? Does it save you a single cent in delaying? No, no, and no.