The Mallorcan nationalists at the left-leaning Mes party are calling on the Balearic government to double the rate of the tourist tax in an effort to curb visitor numbers. The additional cash would be used to try and reduce tourism and to diversify the local economy away from tourism.
The call comes as many tourists of all nationalities say that the island is becoming too expensive after big rises in hotel prices. While there was a big increase in German tourism in July, the number of visitors from Britain and mainland Spain fell by 10 percent and 13 percent respectively.
Mes says that the rate of the tourist tax should be increased to eight euros per day for people staying in a five-star hotel and six euros for those in four-star accommodation. The additional revenue would be used, according to the nationalists, to ease the environmental footprint created by tourism over many decades and to also try and diversify the local economy away from tourism.
The nationalists say that most countries now have tourist taxes and the rate is far lower than the one in the Balearics which caused much controversy when it was first introduced.
This summer there have been calls from numerous political and social organisations for a reduction in tourism because they claim that the island has become saturated.
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RedbaronPeople who Drive around in uninsured cars don’t pay tourists Tax Mate !
Triple it and get rid of all the foreign uninsured cars
Doubling the Tourist Tax may deter some of the low earners in Britain. Who spend all year saving to pay for a holiday to the Island they adore. But the high earning Tourists will just pay the increase. So I do not think it will reduce those who want to holiday here. The Protest movement have caused some damage to Tourist numbers this Season. But I wonder how many of the Protesters have lost their business and employment , as a direct result of less Tourists , and less money spent here.
This is such a Fantastic Group of People they Hate any foreigners leftovers from Unio Mallorcan party and allways have Super ideas like this as has been said thank God that they are not in Government !
Radical antitourism hooligans are allowed to vontrol the streets in #catalonia and they want to do the same thing in the Balerarics
Well, its s good job they arent in Government
People will just buy one less beer.
Well Mes, bring on the redundancies and unemployment, of course there maybe work on the mainland or perhaps S America?.