19/02/2016 00:00
TW
1

Tourist Tax
Dear Sir,
So, foot and shooting spring to mind. Well done, Spain, once again the inmates are out and about and running the asylum.
Forecasts are for a bumper year for tourism, much needed after a long hard time where most businesses, relying on Jonny Tourist, struggled to pay the bills, let alone put bread on the table or money in the bank. The Hacienda and Social Security, however, ruthlessly pursued every last centimo due and in my case, and I am sure in others too, if they owed YOU money, it could take up to a year to get it back. Meanwhile, they kept sending their bills and charging interest for late payment.
Now, with the prospect of a bumper year the government tills should be overflowing.

More employment, more taxes. More hotel bookings, more taxes. More car hire, more taxes. Petrol, drinks, food, coach trips, boat trips, yacht charter, diesel for the yacht charter, cleaners: the list is endless. But all additional revenue for the powers that be. Politicians, it must be said, can “talk a good talk”. However, it doesn’t make them almost overnight into economists or even businessmen.

Impose the tourist tax. Who wins? The tourist? Er, no. The local businesses? Er, no. Just the government, which at present are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of even more dosh to help grease wheels, transfer into bizarre accounts. (Me cynical? Just a little.)

If the one euro per tourist was left in the wallet of Señor “Giri”, then that money would filter through the economic system to food, drinks, trips  car hire, i.e. the whole  tourist sector. And, of course, would eventually end up as extra taxes. What the Americans like to refer to as a “win/win”  situation. Wouldn’t that be great!

In Spain no. Load the bullets, aim at the foot.

Regards
Oliver Cheetham
Porto Cristo