The Arca heritage association called the tax a "hotch-potch" that is being used to fill holes in the government's budget. The association added that it had abstained from voting on tax spending decisions in protest at the "meagre percentage" devoted to heritage and land conservation.
Arca, Amics de la Terra and GOB are all represented on the committee which decides how the tax revenue is to be spent. They have expressed their discontent with the selection of projects - 68 new ones to be funded with 105 million euros - as have others.
Felib is the federation of town halls. Its secretary, Neus Serra, said that the town halls are wasting their time in presenting project proposals for receiving tourist tax funding. None of the 36 projects submitted by town halls are to get funding.
The federation voted against the selection of projects at the Tuesday meeting of the committee. The Felib president, Toni Salas, is to request a meeting with the tourism minister Iago Negueruela in order to "clarify what role he wants municipalities to play". Salas insisted that town halls won't bother doing all the work required in drafting proposals, if "they are not going to be taken into account".
Jordi Mora, president of the Pimem small to medium-sized businesses federation, believed that tourists are being tricked into thinking that tourist tax-funded projects are for alleviating the impact of tourism on the environment. In this regard, he referred to the use of tax revenue for the extension of the Palma Metro and for social housing. "We are lying to visitors; this tax is becoming a mere collection tool."
The committee consists of government ministers and representatives from the island councils, town halls (Palma has its own representation), environmentalists, business (including hoteliers), unions, heritage, farming and the university. A chief criticism is the fact that spending decisions are already made by the government before they are discussed by the committee, membership of which is weighed in the government's favour.
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So do the locals. But they aren’t going to complain as the money is spent, in theory, in improving their living standards and not in improving things for tourists.
I agree with Dale Hawkes. As a resident of Malllorca for many years, I pay my taxes here. Yet when I spend a couple of nights in another part of the island I have to pay the "Tourist Tax". Seems an odd state of affairs to me too.
Example: Right or Wrong... Please correct?... I make a booking for a room at the Sanctuary of Lluc, I am a resident of Mallorca and pay Tax with my job, why am I paying Tourist Tax?
The whole tourist tax is a fraud why should we the tourist pay the Mallorca Government to fill gaps in the funding. If the tax was used say to provide dropped kerbs in all resorts to help the disabled then that would be a great help but when you have kerbs at crossings that are 9" high how can those in wheelchairs and scooters cross the roads safely its a total con this tourist tax where would Mallorca be without us tourists ???/
Taxing Tourists was to benefit the Island as a whole. It was to improve the Island. I have not seen any improvement. I wonder how it is policed?. Who is making money from the tax revenue. Do the tax authorities check the Hotels collection of the tax?. I have not seen one project to be funded by the TT. I have not seen one improvement for the benefit of Tourists or Tourism.