The purchase of Es Canons is one of the most costly of the proposals for tourist tax investment. | M. Borrás

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The committee for sustainable tourism impetus is sifting through 236 proposals for ways to spend revenue raised by the sustainable tourism tax (the official title of the tourist tax or ecotax). The proposals have a combined value of 218.4 million euros. The committee will, though, only have 30 million euros at its disposal from tax collected in 2016. It has to evaluate the various proposals and then forward the ones selected to the cabinet for its approval.

Roughly half the projects are for improvements to water infrastructure, this having been made a priority. There are 116 proposals worth almost 95 million euros. For environment (land and sea) and agricultural conservation and recovery there are 44 proposals valued at over 62 million, while for heritage and cultural restoration there are 37 projects costing over 38.5 million.

Of the other "purposes" for spending revenue, there are 22 proposals worth more than ten million for tackling seasonality and promoting low-season and sustainable tourism. For innovation and research for economic diversification, climate change and tourism there are eleven projects valued at over eight million, and there are three more (3.3 million) for improving training, quality of employment and jobs in the low season.

Among the more expensive proposals is one from Arta town hall for the purchase of the Es Canons finca for 12.1 million euros, and higher still is the 12.4 million for the water system between Maria de la Salut and Petra. Diversification of sustainable crops comes in at 7.5 million, and a project for Punta Prima in Minorca is valued at 7.3 million.

Projects that are turned down, and a great number will have to be, can be proposed when it comes to the evaluation of spending tax revenue for this year, which will provide at least double the amount.