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Proposal to increase Mallorca tourist tax by 60 per cent
The plan also aims to abolish tourism campaigns on the popular Spanish island
Ahead of the upcoming municipal elections on May 28, left-wing party Més per Mallorca has proposed a series of radical changes that would reduce the number of tourists flocking to the island while bolstering the public coffers considerably.
The nationalists are promoting a scheme to hike up the already controversial tourist tax by as much as 60% and abolish all promotions that are designed to draw tourists to Mallorca.
“It is not intelligent to have all our eggs in the same basket, we cannot afford an economic model that links the welfare of the people with circumstances that we have no control over,” said the Nationalist candidate for the presidency, Lluís Apesteguia.
While presenting his plan, Lluís Apesteguia said that, if his party is successful in the elections it vows to “totally abandon” the regional government’s current tourism campaigns. To offset the resultant drop in the number of holidaymakers to the island, the tourist tax needs to be increased “drastically”, he added, pointing out that a 60% hike would rake in around 80 million euros.
This would allow the government to buy up the hotels, which would naturally be quieter, and use them as much-needed social housing and community facilities.
Interestingly, a proposal by the Unidas Podemos party in mainland Spain to cap the number of tourist rentals on offer in the busiest and most stressed destinations didn’t even get off the starting block, so it’s unclear whether this latest plan in Mallorca will receive much support.
Some of Més per Mallorca’s other plans are for tougher regulations on all-inclusive resorts, more tourism inspectors and setting a limit on operating permits at Palma airport during the summer.
Unsurprisingly, most other political parties have staunchly objected to hiking up the tourist tax, believing the government should be more focused on eliminating tax for locals, which is one of the highest in the country.
Image: Freepik
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