Since the Eco-tax in the Balearic Islands was first introduced in June 2016, a total of €234.48 million have been paid, according to the latest figures released up to 2018.
Last year, the Balearic Islands has collected with the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS), also known as the Ecotax. The latest report of February 2019 states that more than €122.78 million have been collected, up 87.5% from the previous year.
The Consell de Mallorca has now proposed the funds allocated for the island of Mallorca be used for 6 new projects.
- Initiatives to diversify the island's economy and promote sustainable tourism
- It is also intended to enhance seasonality and preserve the heritage
- One of the projects presented, "Green film shooting", aims to turn the island into a "leading space as a green shooting destination"
- With the “Promotion of handicrafts and sustainable local product” initiative, economic diversification and innovation are contributed
- Also proposed are the heritage conservation and restoration projects in La Cartuja de Valldemossa and a site in Pollença
The Consell de Mallorca has submitted six projects to the Commission for the Promotion of Sustainable Tourism (Comisión de Impulso de Turismo Sostenible) to qualify for financing with the amount raised this year with the eco-tax . These are initiatives that, according to the institution, contribute to diversify the economy of the island, promote sustainable tourism outside the high season and preserve the heritage.
The project “Green film shooting: Shooting and sustainable tourism” aims to turn the island into a “leading space as a green shooting destination”, so it will create a public infrastructure that will be responsible for filming sustainable audio-visual productions, renting spaces and implementing advisory and training services. In this way, according to the same sources, the audio-visual sector will be promoted, which contributes to economic diversification and brings income to the island out of peak season.
La Cartuja de Valldemossa is one of the recipients of the funds collected by the eco-tax, among the projects presented by the Consell de Mallorca.
The “Landscape integration of heritage elements in the non-motorized road network and in the Gros torrent in the El Molinar area” is another of the proposals. Its objectives are to recover a degraded space at the entrance of Palma; provide access to El Molinar, Coll d'en Rabassa and Ciudad Jardín; give continuity to the vegetation of the Son Perera park and integrate a new itinerary to the network of cycle paths, especially in front of the coastline that connects with Can Pastilla and Playa de Palma-Arenal. With the restoration of the old railway bridge over the torrent, the entity seeks to recover and dignify ethnologically and heritage elements.
Likewise, with the “Promotion of handicrafts and sustainable local product” project seeks economic diversification and innovation of Mallorcan businesses in order to encourage employment and bring economy especially during the off-season.
As for the projects for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, three initiatives have been presented: -
- the restoration of the church and the spaces of the Cartuja de Valldemossa,
- the restoration of 120 historical sites of Mallorca that promote cultural tourism activities, and
- the purchase of the archaeological site of the Pedret de Bóquer in Pollença.
Source: Hosteltur