The Balearic government always maintained that the money from the tourist tax would be spent on making the islands a better place. Money would be earmarked to improve the resorts and ease the footprint of decades of tourism from the islands. I think most holidaymakers would accept that their money was being put to a good use by improving their favourite holiday islands. But after saying this, what the regional government can't do is to backtrack and spend the tourist tax cash on other projects which have little or nothing to do with tourism. It is simply not fair.
Local hoteliers are calling on the Balearic government to come clean and say exactly where the money is being spent. And they are right. The hoteliers have always been opposed to the tourist tax. They say that it eats into their competitive edge and to some extent they are right. I have always kept an open mind on the tourist tax. If it is being used to improve the resorts then fine. But if the money is being used for other projects then we must think again and go back to the drawing board.
The Balearic government complains that it was forced to introduce the tourist tax because the necessary funding has not been forthcoming from Madrid, and it has a point. But I do not support the fact that tourists have to pay because Madrid is not providing the necessary funding; this is simply not fair. Tourist tax cash for tourist projects.