New Tourism Law enters final stage

The Balearic Minister for Tourism, Jaime Martinez, yesterday met representatives from the local tourist industry to discuss the final items of the new Tourism Law which is in its final phase of being drawn up before being  tabled before parliament.
The tourist industry as a whole had been expecting the new law to have been introduced before the end of last year, giving the sector time to adjust to the new rules and regulations ahead of the new season.
However, it now appears that the new law will come into force on the eve of the  holiday season, leaving some sectors, such as the holiday rental market and car hire sector on the  back foot.
Martinez  told all the representatives at yesterday’s meeting that he is at the “complete disposition to reach maximum consensus in  order to provide the highest level of quality and help the local tourist industry to be as competitive as possible.” While bookings are said to be looking good and the Balearics are heading for another record year, one of the region’s main competitors, Egypt, announced this week that it is going to pump one billion dollars into expanding and improving its tourist industry. Martinez said that, the law is into its final phase and that he is confident that the Balearic government will give it the green light before the end of April.