Tourism Minister Jaume Bauzá defended on Tuesday that a "moderate" increase in the tourist tax, as proposed by the PP government in March but not approved due to lack of support from Vox, "would not affect the competitiveness" of the Balearics whatsoever.
Bauzá responded this way during the parliamentary session to a question from Vox MP Sergio Rodríguez about whether the Executive has studied the impact of raising the sustainable tourist tax, something the minister has implicitly admitted they haven't done.
Nevertheless, he stressed that "major studies aren't necessary" to know that an increase in the tourist tax as proposed by the government, which ranged between an additional 1.5 and 3 euros per day during high season while eliminating it in January and February, would be harmless.
Rodríguez replied that this response makes it evident that the sole objective of the government's failed proposal was to raise more money, not to discourage the arrival of tourists with lower purchasing power. The Vox representative urged the government to "stop bleeding" tourists and residents with taxes and instead focus on offerings that attract "higher quality" visitors, among which he mentioned golf courses, marinas, and beach clubs.