TW
5

The total amount of money raised through the tourist tax is small, but the levy has done plenty of damage and could still hit Majorca where it hurts. An estimated 64 million euros were raised through the tourist tax last year; I still believe that more would have been raised through a voluntary donation from tourists who want to see Majorca maintained as the paradise island that it is.

The Balearic government says that the money will be used to repair the damage from tourism over the years. The decision to double the rate of the tourist tax for this coming season is a bad move. Just because the tax was introduced with few problems two years ago it doesn't mean that the war is won and tourists are not going to complain. It must be remembered that when the tax was first introduced the Balearics was considered a safe-haven destination because of the ongoing security problems in resorts in the eastern Mediterranean. Thousands of tourists diverted from east to west. But this problem no longer exists and Turkey and destinations in north Africa are doing well again with a big rise in bookings.

Majorca is a wonderful place but it is not cheap, and couple this state of affairs with the tourist tax and you just might get tourists thinking of alternative destinations, including Turkey which is far cheaper than the Balearics. Hoteliers complain that the tax has hit their competitive edge. I do not believe so, but tourists think with their wallets and purses and if they do not consider a holiday destination is offering them value for money they will simply go elsewhere.