Tourism Concern criticises industry reaction to Balearics eco-tax

Tourism Concern, the campaign charity for ethical and fair trade tourism, is calling on the tourism industry to “put its green words into action” regarding what it describes as hollow rhetoric over support for sustainable tourism.

It follows the trade’s reaction to plans for an ‘eco-tax’ for The Balearics which is due to come into effect on May 1. All visitors to the islands staying in hotels will pay an average of €1 (62 pence) per day, and it is hoped that €60,000 per year will be raised to tackle environmental problems on the islands.

In a statement released today, Tourism Concern criticised the reaction of the trade to the proposed tax : “Predictably, the UK tourism industry is up in arms. JMC/Thomas Cook have said they ‘will be speaking to government ministers about this’, and the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) have warned that ‘people will choose to go elsewhere on holiday if this goes ahead. ABTA is even threatening to break with 30 years’ tradition and move next year’s annual convention away from Majorca; a move opposed by some British tour operators mindful of the importance of Majorca’s tourism industry to the British economy over the years.”

Director of Tourism Concern, Patricia Barnett said: “Some tour operators are now getting involved in the government’s newly set-up Sustainable Tourism Initiative (STI), but their reaction to the Balearic eco-tax makes their rhetoric ring hollow.

“We think the tourism industry should put its green words into action. On the one hand they are saying they want to sign up to sustainable tourism and on the other they are doing everything they can to oppose it. Unfortunately, their actions are speaking louder than their words.”

She added: “The Balearic government, local people and environmental groups are certain that the eco-tax is necessary in order to give them hope of protecting the region’s ecosystem and vital resources such as water. We feel that operators and tourists should respect that.”

Hazel Morgan, spokesperson for Ibiza’s Amics de la Terra (Friends of the Earth), agrees with the UK tour operators that a fall in visitor numbers is possible. But according to Ms Morgan this would not be such a bad thing.

“We need to reduce visitor numbers – the islands are at saturation point,” she said.

“Every year, more people come, putting more pressure on scarce resources, but there is less and less money because the packages just keep getting cheaper. Something needs to change because if our environment is not protected, the Balearics will simply end up as another Benidorm.”

Ms Morgan points out that visitor numbers did not fall when hotel rates in the Balearics rose last year by 11%. And Tourism Concern points to ABTA’s own research carried out in October that shows that British tourists are concerned about the impact of their holidays. It found that 85% of people thought it was important that tourism should not damage the environment, and that 64% would be willing to pay £10 to £25 extra to ensure standards were met, representing a 2–5% price increase on a £500 holiday.

Tourism Concern’s own research found that 96% of respondents who normally travelled independently and 85% of package holiday makers said they felt that tourism should be fairer for destination communities. In total 35% said they were willing to pay an extra 5% for a holiday that ‘gives extra benefits to local people and/or is environmentally sound’, and a further 36% said they would pay an extra 10% – £50 on a £500 holiday – and significantly more than the proposed ecotax.

See:
15-Aug-2001 The Balearics tourist tax: ‘Putting our house in order’, by Tourism Concern
2-Jul-2001 Being There: Tourism Concern launches travel magazine aimed at women

**TravelMole’s list of Sustainable Tourism organisations**