Balearics and Germany join forces over tourist tax

The German Ambassador to Spain, Joachim Bitterlich, visited Palma yesterday and topping the agenda during talks with Balearic Chief Minister, Francesc Antich, was the tourist tax. The Ambassador, on his first official visit to the Balearics, and the Chief Minister announced after their meeting that a joint campaign will be mounted, in order to explain to the millions of German tourists who visit the islands each year, exactly why the tourist tax is being introduced and how it will be paid. Emerging from the talks, Bitterlich said that he fully understands that funds raised from the tourist tax will be used to protect and improve the environment, adding that a number of German municipalities have already adopted similar eco-taxes for the same reasons. “It is important, however, to explain to German tourists the intentions and objectives of the tourist tax,” the Ambassador said. Last year four million German tourists holidayed in the Balearics and Antich was keen to discuss the new government's policies and the authority's relation with Germany.