The leader of the Partido Popular, Biel Company, said yesterday that the party will eliminate the tourist tax in the low season and that, as its first measure in government, would recover investment that was enabled under the PP's 2012 tourism law in order to modernise hotel stock.
Company stated that the Balearics are suffering a loss of competitiveness due to the economic model being pursued by the government. He accused President Armengol of having fostered tourismphobia sentiment and insisted that the tourist tax should not be allowed to shrink competitiveness. As well as eliminating it in the low season, the PP would reduce the main season rates to those that applied when the tax was first introduced.
As for revenue generated by the tax, Company vowed to use it for tourism-linked investment. This could therefore include purposes such as water-treatment plants. The revenue that the government has so far brought in, he noted, has hardly been used, and he warned that if the tax does not allow the Balearics to compete, the PP would cut it to zero.
He went on to say that the PP will reverse everything that is "not correct" with regard to holiday rentals legislation. He described the government's legislation as a "Frankenstein law".
Company noted that the 2012 tourism law had allowed houses on rustic and protected land to be used for holiday rental. He confirmed that the PP would revive some "particular conditions" for holiday rentals.