The Balearic government has today unveiled its roadmap to getting a grip on tourism in the islands and tackling mass tourism. The plan includes a ban on tourist flats, the creation of a new tax on temporary rental cars and an increase in the tourist during the high tourist season, especially for cruise ships to curb the impact of tourism and tackle housing problems.
The Balearic president, Marga Prohens, today, Friday, formally presented the “tourism containment measures” and announced the opening of a round of meetings with the different political parties on the islands to seek a sufficient majority to allow her to approve her new roadmap in Parliament and bring it into force.
The regional government is proposing to ban the granting of new rental licences for tourist apartments and to raise the requirements for the renewal of existing permits.
It is increasing the penalties for illegal tourist accommodation by 25% to 500,000 euros, although offenders will be able to reduce the amount of the fine by up to 80% if they decide to use their properties for social or limited price rental.
A new tax has been created for temporary hire cars that are on the islands for less than six months a year.
Depending on their emissions and the time they are in circulation, the amount will vary between 30 and 80 euros. The government stressed that “all these measures seek to respond to the objectives established in the Transition Agenda Bases, which emerged from the working groups of the Pact for the Economic, Social and Environmental Sustainability of the Balearic Islands, in which more than a hundred institutions and entities of the Autonomous Community participate with the aim of transforming the region towards sustainability and the well-being of its citizens”.
However, the centre right Partido Popular governs in a minority in the Balearics so it remains to be seen whether its partners VOX or the opposition parties are willing to endorse its plans. The government announced some time ago its intention to modify the Sustainable Tourism Tax, better known as the tourist tax, it was not until today that the changes were made clear. The tax will be lifted in January and February, during the low tourist season, buts will increase during the months of June, July and August from 1 to 2.5 euros per day at the lowest rate and from 4 to 6 euros at the highest.
Cruise ships will pay the maximum rate, rising from the 2 euros currently applied to them to 6 euros per night. In the months of May, September and October, and in the months of March, April, November and December, the rates in force to date will be maintained.
Residents of the Balearics will have to pay the tax if they stay in tourist establishments in the islands as they have done until now, but will be able to deduct up to 250 euros from the amount through their tax return. The plan presented by Prohens increases the penalties against owners and promoters of unlicensed tourist accommodation and introduces the requirement for holiday rental portals to demand the registration number of the accommodation to be marketed.