The Balearic government has presented measures to tackle the crisis caused by the collapse of Thomas Cook. One of these, announced on Thursday evening, will be the return of tourist tax paid by Thomas Cook clients to hoteliers for July, August and September. In effect, this should mean that hotels simply keep tourist tax payments made by these clients. This measure will not apply to hotels that were under Thomas Cook's direct management.
Thomas Cook crisis
Hoteliers to get Thomas Cook tourist tax
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My wife and I have been holidaying in Mallorca since 1979, often accompanied by the wider family. In the past 20 years we have visited two or three times each year, summer and winter, staying up to a month on one visit, spending money in the local community on a wide range of products. During those twenty years we have seen significant price increases, often 10% or 20% over one year, and the most guilty parties have been hotel and apartment owners who cry about having to protect their businesses from increasing charges on them for electricity, water and labour. These complaints have often fallen on deaf ears when I see them driving off in their 100,000 Euro Range Rover. Now the government wants to cushion them with money taxed from tourists. If the TC demise presents another opportunity to increase charges on the basis of demand exceeds supply then it's goodbye from us.
Most, if not all of the general public are totally opposed to the local governments idea of giving eco tax money to the hoteliers. Will the politicians take any notice ? I very much doubt it.
Misappropriation of funds surely? So other tourists who have paid the tax are subsidising the hotels who have lost custom? It totally erases any credibility in this tax, not that it had much anyway. The anti-mallorcan sector of the British press will love this. Where are the (political) voices of opposition to this?
Another clear example of who pulls the financial strings in the Balearics. The mega-rich hoteliers should take the rough with the smooth just as we ordinary folk have to.
As I recall Mallorca is in favour of fewer tourists. Seems like they have arrived at the perfect solution. Be careful what you wish for.
The hoteliers have no right to have the tourist tax money, this is a disgrace. Just another example of how corrupt this third world government is.
What about the peripheral businesses also affected? Why should the greedy hotels get it all, they should be compensated eventually under insurance schemes.
Question: what are they supposed to do with money ? Give it back to the tourists ?
While I applaud any support for TC employees, supporting the hoteliers is ridiculous. These money-grabbers have been feasting and profiting for years. They should be able to support themselves in bad times, just like any other business. In any country, a free market should determine who wins and who loses. That’s capitalism, and rightly so. UK history under Labour is littered with government props to failing businesses. Which went on to fail again. And guess who funded it all - yes, we the taxpayers. I wonder what the people of Mallorca feel about their taxes going to prop up rich hoteliers?