25/04/2001 00:00
TW
0

Dear Sir, I've just returned from my fifth visit to Majorca, having first traveled to the island in 1993, and I would like to say that I agree with much of what was said by Graham Phillips in the issue of 12th April.

Since that first visit, just eight years ago, I have seen so much further development – coves and bays that used to be so quiet and peaceful, like Cala Mesquida, now increasingly built up, albeit in a more sympathetic style than the high rises of many years ago.

I visit the island to walk, to enjoy the natural beauty of the countryside and the mountains, to sunbathe in quiet unspoilt bays, to share your festivals – if the tax of about 62 pence a day is the price I have to pay to continue to enjoy this, then I will willingly pay it! If that tax deters the visitors who just want to lie beside hotel pools, then so be it, because I do not believe that Majorca can support an annual growth of around 10% in visitor numbers.

However I do not believe that the tax as proposed will be much of a deterrent to visitors from the UK, but it will generate extra revenue that I hope will benefit environmental causes. Maybe further taxes should be considered, perhaps on developments old and new that make no effort to reduce their environmental impact – I continue to be surprised how little sign I see of the use of solar power, for example, or requests to hotel guests to minimise their water usage.

Looking forward to many more visits.

Jerry Fenner