Her response to my remark was short and informed. For the last twenty years this woman had made a part time, yes maybe "unofficial" living out of preparing holiday apartments and houses for renting clients. Cleaning, changing and washing linen, an occasional meet and greet, stocking the properties with basic essentials in preparation for the incoming holiday makers.
She told me last year she handled TWENTY such premises. Somewhat ruefully she told me this season she has just six. I started to work out the cost in lost income to the port.
Fourteen less properties. Say an average of four people per unit (some maybe six, a few maybe two)
Fifty-six people per night
Fifty-six people who, in the course of one day and evening, would spend, let's say a very low figure, 30 euros. That comes out at 1680 euros per day. Times that by seven days. 11,760 euros per week. Multiply by 5 five months, or more easily, twenty weeks.
That comes out at 235,200 euros. Nearly a quarter of a million euros not spent in the bars, restaurants, supermarkets, car and bike hire shops, excursions, ice creams, etc.
It is well within reason to suppose that there are many, many local people experiencing the same drop of clients compared to last year. You can of course factor into this scenario the pool cleaner and gardener, the odd job man to repair malfunctioning toilets, lights, etc. I believe an amount of well over three million euros will be missing from the economy of Puerto Pollensa alone this season. And dont’t forget this is just one resort. How much loss in monetary terms to the WHOLE island?
Of course the hotels will benefit. (No suprise there then.) There will be some who will wish to enjoy this special island regardless of the accommodation, and will find a hotel but also there are far more planning or booking their holidays in other venues, taking their spending money with them. "Shooting yourself in the foot" comes nowhere near to describing this economic suicide of monumental proportions.
I can see clearly the argument for less "black" business, a stronger control was needed many, many years ago. People should pay taxes and licences, without question. But to solve the problem by turning off the tap falls very short of an answer that still protects the fragile tourist sector of our island.
As a closing consideration, I know of a tourist complex of apartments on the east side of the island. Many of these apartments were bought by "Brits" on mortgages with the anticipated revenue from letting helping to support the loan payments. Now denied that income, many are being forced to sell of course, and naturally several properties for sale in the same complex depresses the value of ALL the properties, and buyers understandably are less interested in buying somewhere when faced with the prospect of having to totally fund the repayments themselves. One more impact of this crazy, crazy legislation.
Many regards
Oliver Cheetham
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I noticed when I was out in June that at first it seemed busy restaurants/bars etc but soon realised there was no second service in most restaurants and that by 10pm most were clearing up, likewise the bars were also very quiet and everyone was off to bed earlier, for me early evening it seemed just as busy as previous Junes but on a second look it wasn't and the evening was therefore much shorter,
Sadly, The local Mallorcan Government Officials didn't learn any lessons from the last Tourist Tax in the 90's when Tourists decided to go elsewhere the following year! This Years increased in Tourist Tax is having an impact on several businesses and the local economy is beginning to struggle. Many North European Owners have sold up and moved to pastures new as I'm sure many Tourists will next summer - Mallorcan Government have a lot to answer too! Mallorcan People need to vote them out!!
Much of that money would be spent on the terraces of the hotels....everyone loses...