Could the introduction of the new Eco Tax affect your 2016 Balearic holiday?
Holiday makers could face an £80 levy on future holidays to the islands of Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca, with the introduction of the new ‘Green Tax’ on the popular Spanish destinations.
The government are currently drawing up plans to introduce the tax in 2016, which will see millions of holidaymakers paying a daily fee of €2 (£1.50) per person. This would mean that a family of four going away for a two week holiday will pay an additional €112, around £80.
Vice president of the islands’ coalition government, Biel Barcelo, said “The tax will be applied with or without the help of the Spanish state. It is absolutely necessary.”
He said the money would help to conserve the “paradise of the Balearic archipelago. “
Inma Benito, of the Majorca Hoteliers’ Federation, said the tax would lead to “millions in losses” for the islands’ economy.
Sean Tipton, a spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said: “It’s important the islands do everything they can to preserve their environment – but discouraging tourists could be a very unwelcome and unintended consequence.
Past experience shows that if a destination is perceived to be unwelcoming or the entry rules too onerous it can result in deterring significant numbers of visitors.”
The final details are yet to be been released, but it is believed that the amount of levy to be charged will fluctuate depending on high and low seasons, the type of accommodation you stay in and the age of those being taxed. The levy could be lower for children and pensioners.
The eco tax will also be charged to all residents living permanently on the islands, which is said to be around 1 million people, with approximately 14 million tourists visiting the Balearic Islands each year.
What do you think of the plans to introduce the Eco Tax? Will it stop you visiting the Balearic Islands?
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