Despite strong opposition from Majorcan hoteliers over the tourist tax, the Balearic Minister for Tourism, Celesti Alomar, yesterday expressed his confidence that the public will eventually see reason and support the proposed levy on holidaymakers. Alomar was talking ahead of the project being finally put to local hoteliers yesterday afternoon and said that he hopes all those involved in the meetings over the next few weeks will negotiate sensibly. The Minister also said that he hopes that the hoteliers will reach a consensus in the best interests of the Balearics, which will be to introduce the tax to raise funds for the protection and improvement of the environment. The government has tried to involve as many people as possible in the series of meetings over the next few days and the main objective of the regional authority is for the cabinet to approve the tourist tax by the end of June. Alomar wants to see the tax introduced as soon as possible, although he refrained from giving a date. The Minister also ducked the question on whether or not the government would go ahead with the tax, regardless of the wishes of the hoteliers.
Minister upbeat as tourist tax enters crunch talks