There was a school of thought that as soon as the lockdown ended tourists would be jumping on planes and heading to the islands for their holidays. This was obviously wishful thinking and now the Balearic government is saying that the holiday season may not get underway until August and it will be a slow start. Just 50 percent of hotels on the island will open.
Tourists are also going to need an incentive to travel once the coronavirus danger has eased. The simple solution is to scrap the tourist tax for this summer. Unfortunately, the Balearics will not be able to dictate terms this season and they will need every tourist they can get.
I suspect that if the Balearic government makes this gesture it will be well received by tourists who, like everyone, will be feeling the economic pinch of the coronavirus. People employed by the tourist industry are going through a tough time at the moment with the industry at a standstill but it must be remembered that the German and British tourists who could be heading to the islands this summer are in the same boat, economically speaking and they would welcome any money saving move.
The tourist tax was introduced at a time when the Balearic tourist industry was riding on the crest of the wave. There were no real complaints from holidaymakers because the Balearics was considered a safe haven destination compared to those in the eastern Mediterranean, where there were security concerns. Times have changed. Resorts across the world will be pitching for tourists and competition will be fierce. Scrap the tax and welcome the tourists.