You would have thought that the Balearic government would have informed tourists that the rate of the tourist tax was going to double. Can you imagine - you arrive on holiday and just when you are about to head up to your hotel room, you are presented with a bill from the Balearic government for the tourist tax, and the rate is double what you paid last year. I have always said that if the tourist tax is to be a success then tourists need to feel a part of the whole process. The ministry for tourism says that the tourist tax cash is making Majorca a better place and also improving the resorts. So wouldn't it be a good idea if tourists were informed about the tax, its rate and what the money was going to be spent on? It is only polite surely? I think it is outrageous that tourists are being kept in the dark.
I know that the ministry will be producing some informative leaflets to be distributed to hotels. But it appears that these leaflets have still not arrived. A tourist tax is always going to be a gamble because the holiday industry always has its eye on the final cost. So really, tourists need to be updated on how the money is being spent. Majorca is facing competition from cheaper holiday destinations in the eastern Mediterranean. It must take this into account and ensure that the islands offer value for money and also that tourists are kept informed at all times of new developments.