The Consell de Ibiza has approved in plenary a proposal that asks the Balearic Government to increase the amount of the eco-tax, the Sustainable Tourism Tax, applied to tourists arriving to the island. This initiative, promoted by the group of Unidas Podemos, aims to give flexibility to each island of the archipelago to set the amount of this tax according to their own needs and capacity to absorb tourism. The objective, according to the promoters, is that each territory can decide whether to increase or maintain the tax according to its context, seeking a positive impact on sustainability and the local economy. The measure has been supported by a majority, with the only opposition of the Vox councilor, while the Socialist Party has opted to abstain. Óscar Rodríguez, representative of Unidas Podemos and spokesman of the proposal, explained that the next step will be to present this initiative at the Mesa del Pacto Social para la Sostenibilidad, where a possible increase of the eco-tax for the next season will be discussed, as the president of the Govern, Marga Prohens, said. In the words of Rodriguez, an upward adjustment in the tax would capitalize on the boom in visitors to provide the Consell with an economic “oxygen ball” in a context of high tourist pressure. Rodriguez recalled that the island has registered approximately 19 million overnight stays during the last season, a figure that demonstrates the growing influx of tourists and the impact this figure has on local infrastructure. This increase in the eco-tax, he says, would be a key tool to finance improvements in essential services such as road maintenance and the optimization of public transport, areas that have seen wear and tear due to mass tourism.
Support from the government team
The vice president of the Consell, Mariano Juan, has expressed the support of the government team to this proposal and stressed the need for the Consell to have greater collection capacity. “Our institution does not charge taxes, only fees for services; with this measure, we could have greater fiscal autonomy and reinvest in projects of primary need for the island,” Juan said.
