Balearic Islands: British families slapped with 'tourist tax' of up to £70
![Balearic Islands: British families slapped with 'tourist tax' of up to £70](https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/files/spain_534463658_603900850.jpg)
British families heading to Balearic Islands will be slapped with 'tourist tax' of up to £70 as holiday bosses cash in on surge in bookings to Spain after ISIS attacks, dailymail.co.uk reports.
Holidaymakers getting set for their summer breaks have been left furious after the revelation they face a new 'eco-tax' on arrival.
Following months of discussion, the new tax will hit popular tourist destinations including Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza from July 1 - in time for the summer holidays.
And those who have already paid for their holidays in advance will be forced to pay the fee, which was given the green light by the Balearic Island authorities in March.
The islands are set to welcome a record number of holidaymakers this year, who are avoiding terror-hit destinations including Egypt and Tunisia.
Rates will vary depending on the hotel's star rating, with one to three-star hotels costing one euro a day per person and four and five-star hotels two euros - around £1.50 per day.
Up to £70 extra over a fortnight
It means a family of four with children aged over 16 could pay up to £70 extra over a fortnight. The fees will be paid directly to hotels, on top of what has already been paid to travel operators. The charges will halve after day nine of a stay.
Tourism bosses in the Balearic government said the tax will fund efforts to protect the islands' natural resources, with tens of millions of euros in revenue.
Some three million British holidaymakers flock to the Balearics, including the island of Formentera every year.
One Trip Advisor reviewer, 'John',wrote on the site: 'So if it's not the All Inclusive killing off the bars, the Spanish government are sticking the knife in too. To me it's just utter greed.'
Win Taylor, 70, from Belper, Derbyshire, found out about the charge after she booked a break to Majorca in September.
She told The Sun: 'Our travel company sent us a warning email. We knew nothing about it.
'By now most people have booked their holidays so they have us over a barrel. You feel like they are cashing in.'
Malta is the latest Mediterranean country to adopt the 'tourist tax.'
Start date of June 1
It will come into effect on June 1 after the original start date of April 1 was abandoned due to confusion over how it would be collected.
There will be a 5 euro visitor cap for persons over the age of 18. Malta attracts two million visitors every year, and some €6m in extra revenue could be netted as a result.
British holidaymakers are returning to old favourites in Spain in greater numbers this summer in the wake of recent terror attacks in Europe and the Middle East.
Travel giant TUI Group, the owner of UK tour operators Thomson and First Choice, said summer bookings from Britons are up nine per cent on last year despite a downturn in tourism to Turkey and Egypt.
The travel company said the largest increase in bookings has been for holidays to mainland Spain and the Balearic and Canary islands.
In a half-year trading update to the end of March, TUI said demand for Turkey – where attacks have occurred in central Istanbul and Ankara – was 'subdued'.
Travel operator ABTA said it 'had concerns' about the tax, adding it could: 'have the unintended consequence of driving tourists away from the islands.'
ABTA added: 'Of course, safeguarding the environment of the islands has to be a high priority but this tax is not the most sensible way to fund these efforts.'
Read more here.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
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