Majorca in crisis as locals urge tourist tax for major problem hitting the Balearic Island
The Majorca Association of Bars, Restaurants and Cafeterias and the Balearic Islands Catering Business Federation urged the government to do something about a major problem.
Locals and business owners in Majorca have called for “urgent solutions” as they asked the authorities to use a tourist tax to fix water cuts on the island.
The Balearic Island has been facing water cuts in Banyalbufar, where Richard Branson’s luxury Son Bunyola hotel and villas are located.
The Majorca Association of Bars, Restaurants and Cafeterias (CAEB Mallorca Catering) and the Balearic Islands Catering Business Federation (Ferib) requested the government to find a solution to the water cuts.
In a statement issued today, the entities have expressed their “concern” about the problems faced by bars and restaurants in the municipality, as well as the “significant impact” that the cuts will have.
These, they said, “will cause a considerable decrease in the income of local businesses, generating serious economic damage”, reported Majorca Daily Bulletin.
As a result, CAEB has offered all of its support to “seek solutions to alleviate the negative effects of drought.
Similarly, they expressed their understanding of "the difficult situation" and appreciated "the efforts of the local council, which is unable to manage the drought with the current budget."
This is why the association is urging the government to provide urgent aid to mitigate the negative effects of these cuts, the two organisations emphasised.
They also raised questions about why the funds generated by the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS) or eco-tax "are not being used to provide economic aid or to finance tankers with desalinated water."
They said: "This is a regrettable situation in the middle of the season, which not only damages the image of the island but also represents an economic loss for both restaurateurs and residents of the area."
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The association also highlighted that the "water crisis" in Banyalbufar began in May and has worsened with the arrival of summer and the increase in the municipality's population.
In response to the issue, the council has announced intermittent water cuts starting July 15, which will leave residents and businesses without a drinking water supply from 11pm to 4pm.
"That is, for 17 hours a day, causing significant harm to the entire community," lamented CAEB and Ferib.
In addition to these cuts, the containment measures established two months ago remain in effect, including a restriction of consumption to 75 litres per person per day and a ban on cleaning terraces, both private and catering establishments, among other measures.
For all these reasons, the entities have made "an urgent appeal" to the administrations to resolve this issue "before the losses force establishments to close" and have expressed their support "not only to the businesses in Banyalbufar but also to all those affected by the drought in the Balearics."
The crisis comes as the latest data from the National Statistics Institute's (INE) Frontur suggest that the number of visitors staying in illegal holiday rentals in the Balearic Islands could be as high as 3.5 million, with figures having been obscured over the past decade.
In 2014, there were one million in the Balearics. By 2023, there were 2.2 million.
