Hoteliers opposed to tourist tax revenue for housing

28 million euros for housing purposes

An allocation of tourist tax revenue to the mortgage guarantee scheme. | Jaume Morey

Andrew EdePalma01/11/2022 07:24

The Mallorca Hoteliers Federation, while broadly in agreement with planned spending of this year's tourist tax revenue, is critical of this being used for housing purposes.

The hoteliers support the need for solutions to be found to the housing shortage but argue that these should be financed from the Balearic government's general budget. In addition, there should be firmer control of illegal holiday rentals, as this would help to release housing stock. Of the 138.3 million euros of 2022 tourist tax revenue, 28.1 million will be allocated to social housing projects and to funding the government's mortgage guarantee scheme.

The executive vice president, María José Aguiló, says that the federation backs the other 25 targets for spending - the water cycle, sustainable mobility, agriculture, economic diversification and innovation. These are actions that the hoteliers consider to be "necessary for the integral sustainability of the islands".

Once more, however, the hoteliers take issue with the process of selection. This should be in "a more participatory manner" and not through "unilateral pre-selection" by the government.