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The A to Z of Mallorca's tourist tax
Everything you need to know about the tourist tax in Mallorca
The tourist tax (known before as ecotax) was approved by the Balearic government on March 22nd and will start to be applied on July 1st, 2016. With lots of contradictory information going around, here is a simple summary of what it will entail.
The tax will be charged to your accommodation bill, but it is the hotel who will ultimately have to pay the Balearic government. The amount depends on the type of accommodation you are staying in, from €0.50 for campsites and hostels, to €2 for five-star hotels. Three-star superior and four-star hotels, which comprise most of the rooms on offer in Mallorca, will have to charge €1.50 per day. Apartments, B&Bs and cruise ships calling at any of Mallorca's port for more than 12 hours are also subject to the tourist tax.
Children under 16 years old are free from the tax, and it is reduced in half from the eighth day on the island, as well as during the off-season (November to April). This means that the average family of four would end up paying an additional €21 to €56 on a one-week holiday in August.
This revenue will be invested in Mallorca's tourist sector, from new environmental projects to heritage protection, cultural promotion, and employment. A committee made up of 31 unpaid members, and controlled by the Balearic parliament, will decide where the money goes. The government predicts they will collect around €40 and €50 million this year, and around €60 and €70 million in 2017, with the current tax set until 2019.
Representatives of Mallorca's tourist sector have voiced their fears of a decrease in the number of visitors due to this surcharge, even if a similar tourist tax has been operating in Cataluña since 2012 with no real impact. Other areas in Spain are also contemplating its implementation.
