An online poll via the web page for the regional government’s public participation department has revealed that 80% of the Balearic public are in favour of the sustainable tourism tax being spent on the environment - both land and sea.
In addition to the five purposes for the tax contained in its draft law, the questionnaire asked about other targets for the revenue raised. Most notable in this regard was the 68% support for a more effective lengthening of the tourist season.
The survey went live on 3 November and ran until the end of the month, receiving 3,411 responses, a higher than average number for this type of participatory exercise run by the government.
The option that attracted the least amount of support - 17% - was for tax revenue to go towards an improvement in training and the quality of employment, something that unions and tourism-sector workers have been calling for and which is one of the draft law’s stated purposes. Another of these purposes, restoration of historic and cultural heritage, received 52% backing, while those most related to tourism infrastructure were less positively supported.
On using the revenue to improve tourism quality and competitiveness, to foster seasonal adjustment and for product creation and promotion, there was 27% support. For investment in infrastructure related to sustainable tourism, the poll gave 26% backing. These options are, by contrast, those favoured by businesses in the tourism industry.
Among questions not raised in the draft law, 28% believed that the tax should assist in promoting family tourism as a counter to so-called drunken tourism. Almost a third supported the tax being higher for tourists staying in top-of-the-range establishments.