Joan Fageda.

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The Mayor of Palma Joan Fageda, responding to David Crossland's interview in yesterday's Bulletin, said that the tourist tax was a Public Relations nightmare which could have a lasting effect on Majorca's image. Fageda told the Bulletin: “the way the Balearic government has handled this issue has been a disaster. They made the announcement without proper thought or pre-planning. They failed to talk to the tourist industry and they are now paying the consequences. The idea of a tax to pay for environmental projects is a good one but first you must do your “homework” and talk and listen to the people involved with the industry.” Eduardo Gamero, now an MP in Madrid and a key player in the tourist industry nationwide, went even further. “The Balearic government are trying to undo 40 years of hard work. It has been a long struggle to build the tourist industry we have today and the Antich (the leader of the local government) administration seems hell bent on ruining everything. Any bad press which Majorca gets will have a terrible effect on bookings. The Balearic government has taken a stance in which it looks as if they want Majorca to go back to becoming what it was 40 years ago, a place with one of the lowest incomes per capita in the country. Now we have one of the highest and this is all thanks to tourism.” Both Gamero and Fageda will be heading to Berlin next week for the ITB tourism fair, where they are assured a frosty reception from the industry over the water crisis and the tourist tax.