New Tax on Car Hire

[El Gordo]

Has anyone an update on the proposed eco!? tax on car hire to be charged from April 1st?

 

[Sparky]

There have been protests against it by the hire car companies El Gordo and i believe British tour operators have lodged complaints but as far as i know it is still going to happen, it's crazy and will do untold damage to the tourist industry on the Balearic Islands .

 

[marilyn]

I emailed Terrys but as of two days ago they didnt have anydetails of how much and when.

 

[Rangers1]

What about if you have already booked and paid will you then get the charge on top??

 

[Rosie34]

Yes - I have read that you have to pay on arrival even if you have prepaid for the car - no getting out of it

 

[Luckyone]

Copied this from last week's MDB, lets hope ABTA win their point:-


ABTA wants Balearic governemnt to put the brakes on hire car tax

Courtesy of Majorca Daily Bulletin . Grupo Serra Newspaper . Daily Press . News in English . Online Digital Information . Palma of Majorca Balearic Islands Spain. majorca daily bulletin. grupo serra newspaper . daily press . news in english . online digital info

Palma.—Travellers and travel companies are beginning to wake up to the new green tax being introduced on rental cars in the Balearics as the date for its implementation looms and this week ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, has contacted the Balearic government urging it to either delay the introduction of the tax of reconsider it all together.
The planned tax of 3 euros to 7.5 euros a day, depending on a vehicle’s CO2 emissions, would add up to 52.5 euros (about 46 Pounds) a week to the cost of car hire.

Customers will be expected to pay the tax upon collecting their vehicle even if they have pre-paid the full cost of hire.
ABTA contacted the Balearic authorities this week seeking a delay and calling on them to reconsider.

 

[marilyn]

As we collect our car on 28 March I hope we may miss itthis time around.

 

[El Gordo]

As we collect our car on 28 March I hope we may miss it this time around.

I hope so!! But.....some of the hire will be when the tax applies...so you may get away with only the first three days!!

 

[Ronnie]

Happy Holidays?????, We pay for In Flight Meals, Seats with Leg room,Baggage in hold. This is bad enough, now we arrive to find we have to pay an eco charge for as much as £50 plus!!!!!????? per week for a Hire car. As Sparky says, this is going to have a huge effect on the tourist industry in Mallorca!!!! Or do we save money and return to large coaches taking 2 hours to your destination arriving tired ,sweaty and the tour reps " CAN YOU HEAR ME AT THE BACK" still ringing in your ears!!!!

 

[Tonsyl]

When I collected our car last Friday night the young lady at Goldcar said the tax would apply on ALL rentals, where you had the car on and from April 1, prepaid or not.

 

[El Gordo]

...................Or do we save money and return to large coaches taking 2 hours to your destination arriving tired ,sweaty and the tour reps " CAN YOU HEAR ME AT THE BACK" still ringing in your ears!!!!

I think there will be quite a few of us checking out the alternative transfers eg Resort Hopper etc and only hiring for part of your stay when you cannot do without.

It will be a luxury instead of a necessity from now on!!

 

[Ronnie]

I think there will be quite a few of us checking out the alternative transfers eg Resort Hopper etc and only hiring for part of your stay when you cannot do without.

It will be a luxury instead of a necessity from now on!!

As El Gordo has said, it is now a luxury instead of a necessitiy. The great thing about arriving at Palma airport, was the fact you could pick up your rented car, and immediately you were in your "Own World". Go straight to PP, or stop off somewhere for lunch...etc etc.
We pay through the nose for everything both home and abroad, and now this . Dare I say it, "Send for Jeremy Clarkston!!!!!"

 

[lovemallorca]

Has anyone an update on the proposed eco!? tax on car hire to be charged from April 1st?

I cannot help but feel that this sort of tax is directed at just the type of tourists that contribute most to the local economy. They are probably just the type of people that Mallorca needs to attract and retain, rather than discourage.

Many of these mid to upper market guests will probably also be renting villas, shopping in the local supermarkets for food supplies, and in many cases eating-out at a number of different restaurants during their stay.

Compare that to an all-inclusive guest who eats everything within their hotel, and in some cases deliberately choose to spend the absolute minimum outside of their accomodation. Okay, so they may travel on "green" coaches, but does the local economy really want to be encouraging this market at the expense of the more "lucrative" guests?

I completely understand that the economy is difficult in Spain, but surely every attempt should be made to stimulate income to the island, not discourage it?

 

[Nick]

The tax is totally ridiculous with no thought gone into it. It will do more harm than good and what a laugh it being taken to "help the environment".

What will the little Balearic islands participation in this do to help global warming?!

They want to put a tax on China's industries, burning all that fuel and pumping all those carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Crazy....

 

[Sparky]

This tax could end up like the "Tourist Tax" from a few years ago and the Balearic Government may well have to do a U turn .

 

[clinkham]

The tax is totally ridiculous with no thought gone into it. It will do more harm than good and what a laugh it being taken to "help the environment".

What will the little Balearic islands participation in this do to help global warming?!

They want to put a tax on China's industries, burning all that fuel and pumping all those carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Crazy....

The Air Passenger Duty was to 'save the world' - just a few quid at first, but now a significant part of air transport costs.
I'm afraid an initially well meaning 'green agenda' is used as an excuse to hike the taxes we all pay, be it air travel car travel or wind farm subsidies.

 

[Tonsyl]

You could be right Sparky but at what cost to something else? The government is in dire straits both in Mallorca and mainland Spain and has to get money PDQ. Given that the locals have been hammered to some tune recently, the only other way to raise funds quickly is to levy the tourists, who it is perceived have spare cash or else they wouldn't be spending a couple of grand for a villa in the height of the season. The new tax might be a lot to us but, to some, it is just the cost of a meal and that it how it is looked at by those who need to get funds into the coffers and are looking at the bigger picture.

 

[Tiggy]

Quote -
Economic utopias are based on economics. Most intentional communities attempting to create an economic utopia were formed in response to the harsh economic conditions of the 19th century.
Particularly in the early 19th century, several utopian ideas arose, often in response to their belief that social disruption was created and caused by the development of commercialism and capitalism. These are often grouped in a greater "utopian socialist" movement, due to their shared characteristics: an egalitarian distribution of goods, frequently with the total abolition of money, and citizens only doing work which they enjoy and which is for the common good, leaving them with ample time for the cultivation of the arts and sciences

 

[clinkham]

Quote -
Economic utopias are based on economics. Most intentional communities attempting to create an economic utopia were formed in response to the harsh economic conditions of the 19th century.
Particularly in the early 19th century, several utopian ideas arose, often in response to their belief that social disruption was created and caused by the development of commercialism and capitalism. These are often grouped in a greater "utopian socialist" movement, due to their shared characteristics: an egalitarian distribution of goods, frequently with the total abolition of money, and citizens only doing work which they enjoy and which is for the common good, leaving them with ample time for the cultivation of the arts and sciences

Phew!! That's a bit deep for a Monday morning!
No idea whether to agree or disagree. Safest option may be to abstain - at least that way I won't get into trouble with Sparky

 

[lovemallorca]

Quote -
Economic utopias are based on economics. Most intentional communities attempting to create an economic utopia were formed in response to the harsh economic conditions of the 19th century.
Particularly in the early 19th century, several utopian ideas arose, often in response to their belief that social disruption was created and caused by the development of commercialism and capitalism. These are often grouped in a greater "utopian socialist" movement, due to their shared characteristics: an egalitarian distribution of goods, frequently with the total abolition of money, and citizens only doing work which they enjoy and which is for the common good, leaving them with ample time for the cultivation of the arts and sciences

I hope that there is not a communist revolution in Mallorca, but I still think that they have to think VERY hard about applying additional taxes to mid-high end tourists - Particularly as it is an essential part of the economy of the island.

People have choice where they go on holiday, and the economic contribution that they make whilst in Mallorca, has to be very carefully considered against the potential income from new taxes.

I guess what I am saying is that it only takes one-in-ten guests to decide to try something else, and what the general economy loses is much more than a new tax will generate.