BALEARICS
tourism bosses have admitted the region’s former government largely wasted the
40 million euros raised by the eco-tax.
Ibatur
director of tourism Eduardo Gamero said the cash had been squandered on buying
up old buildings and political advertising campaigns.
“They used it to say locally how
great the government was,” blasted Gamero. “It is a scandal on the
islands.”
Gamero
said the one euro a day tax, finally abolished by the new ruling Popular Party
last month, was flawed because it was only collected by licensed accommodation.
Consequently it was only paid by 60% of the islands’ visitors. Tourists staying
in private villas, unlicensed apartments and on yachts did not pay.