News reports 2016.

[mike_dublin]

2015 was the joint warmest year on record in Spain » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

In 2015, Spain experienced a year that was as warm as 2011, these being the joint warmest since current records started in 1989.
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The heatwave from 27 June to 22 July was the hottest period of the year, though other months were also hot.

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In Majorca, the highest was 40.3C in Soller on 14 July.
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see full story on MDB-website

 

[mike_dublin]

Tourist tax draft to be approved Friday » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

The Balearic government is due to approve the final draft of its law for the sustainable tourism tax at Friday’s cabinet meeting.
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...the age of exemption for paying the tax is to rise from 14, as set out in the original, to 16 (and this includes 16-year-olds).
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The season will now bedefined as starting on 1 May. The original had stated 1 April, but the change has been made, it is said, in order that the Easter period will always be excluded from the full rate of the tax, which will therefore apply from 1 May until the end of October. In the low season - November to April - the tax will be reduced by 50%. There is to now also be a 50% reduction from the tenth day of a stay,...

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As to charges, it would seem that three-star and four-star hotel accommodation will attract a rate of 1.5 euros per tourist per day, with two euros being applied to five-star.

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The government hopes to have the bill passed as soon as possible, with 1 May being the target date for its introduction.

see full story on MDB-website

 

[P&C@29]

tourist tax

Can anyone tell me how much will be charged per night in holiday apartment, as we normally come for 3 weeks + mid September to Mid October

 

[Sparky]

Can anyone tell me how much will be charged per night in holiday apartment, as we normally come for 3 weeks + mid September to Mid October

If you click on the link at the beginning of Mike's post it tells you what the rates are going to be.

 

[P&C@29]

tourist tax

On mainland Spain you are only charged for the first 7 nights will this be the same in Mallorca.

 

[mike_dublin]

On mainland Spain you are only charged for the first 7 nights will this be the same in Mallorca.

As the law is still in draft mode it's difficult to be certain, but the way I read it, there will be reduced rates for longer stays.

from the MDB article:

...There is to now also be a 50% reduction from the tenth day of a stay ...

 

[Molt de Renou]

The way I understand it is that the only people who will pay this tax will be those staying in SERVICED accomodation.

Hotels, Apartotels, Agrotourisms, Pensions etc are serviced accomodations, as the price includes making beds, cleaning, reception, food on offer etc.

People renting apartments and villas that do not offer or include these services in the rental price ( can be done in the change over period ) are not eligible to pay this tax.

If the person renting the property wants to contract these services to a private company, he can do so as long as he pays the final invoice.

As I said, this is how I understand the law which is probably as much as the people who drew it up, in other words, not much.

Molt

 

[Sparky]

Recent terror attacks in France etc are affecting the Sant Antoni Fiesta in Sa Pobla, this report is from the UH, the full story can be seen here :- Sólo 15.000 personas podrán acceder a la plaza de sa Pobla por Sant Antoni » Part Forana » Noticias » Ultima Hora Mallorca

Only 15,000 people will have access to space for Sant Antoni sa Pobla.

The capacity of the Major Plaça de sa Pobla has been limited this year to 15,000 people on the eve of Sant Antoni on Saturday night for security reasons. Alertness four Spanish antiterrorist forces law enforcement to take exceptional measures for holding events where expected a large crowd of people, such as the party tonight in sa Pobla, will live the Nit Bruixa. It is the first time in the history of the party that the capacity is limited to the square, which has an area of 3,500 square meters.
In this way, agents monitor access to the site where the piromusical expected to be held and dances of the Caparrots and Dimonis and will not allow entry to anyone once it has reached the permitted capacity. This measure was taken to avoid avalanches in case you need to evacuate the premises.................................

Action Protocol
Although from the City Council of sa Pobla was reported that the plan provided security is very similar to previous years in the number of police officers, members of Civil Protection and private security, fire, is provided that the presence of agents of the Civil Guard to increase significantly as has happened in other parties like the Dijous Bo of Inca, attended by a large security deployment.
In fact, the Civil Guard must comply with the formalities marking the Interior Ministry state terror Level 4 corresponds to a high risk. The plan of prevention and protection against terrorism has five levels of activation.
The same has happened in recent years, all the streets that lead to the Plaça Major of Sa Pobla will escape routes for the party tonight. This means that these streets must be cleared so that it is not allowed to light any bonfire in them.

 

[mike_dublin]

New "cavallets" dance in Pollensa » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

Away from Palma, Pollensa is one of the few places in Majorca that marks Sant Sebastià in a particularly notable way, and it does so with the bearing of the image of the saint and the banner and with the dance of the "cavallets". These horse figures, worn by the dancers, are found in various towns, but their appearance in Pollensa for Sant Sebastià is unique to the town.

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[see full story and picture on MDB-website]

 

[Sparky]

I know we have been having lovely weather here but if we don't get some serious rain soon we could struggle to cope this summer. The UH has reported this here :- Las reservas hídricas caen un 5 % por la falta de lluvias en Balears » Local » Noticias » Ultima Hora Mallorca, translated by Google.

Water reserves fall by 5% by the lack of rain in Balears.

The lack of rain begins to wreak havoc on aquifers Islands.. Mallorca are at 53% capacity, 5% less than they were in 2014, also considered a dry year.

In this situation, the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture plans to work together with local councils to manage demand appropriately and reduce consumption, as well as " conscienciar the population of the need to save water, "as pointing from the Govern.

Notably, groundwater accounts for 85% of the water supply of the island, which is of utmost importance to supply the population. For now, already they have shown some supply problems in municipalities of the Serra de Tramuntana by water shortages or the poor quality of this, because of the presence of sulfates or the state of the reservoirs. "These facts suggest that if it does not rain in the next few months may be difficult to pass the tourist season, "say from the Ministry.

 

[varsp]

Ship some in from the U.K. We have plenty to spare, mind you, having said that, if we get more than a week of sunshine ( I know, unlikely ), they'll be imposing hose pipe bans !

 

[mike_dublin]

New campaign for cycling safety » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

The Council of Majorca has launched a new safety campaign for drivers and cyclists that is aimed at schoolchildren as well as adults and which goes by the title of "As a rule, on the road, safe". Publicity for the campaign involves the distribution of 20,000 leaflets and posters in four languages plus information videos.

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Messages from the campaign include reminders of rules of the road, such as drivers ensuring a space of 1.5 metres between cars and bikes, slowing down when coming close to cyclists and treating a line of cyclists as one vehicle on roundabouts and at junctions. For cyclists, there are reminders of the need to carry documentation, to not use headphones or mobiles, to ensure that they are seen at times of reduced visibility, to wear helmets and to ride at a maximum of two abreast.

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Distribution of the publicity will be via schools, adult centres, tourist information offices, hotels, tour operators and clubs affiliated to the Balearic Cycling Federation.

see full article on the MDB-website

 

[mike_dublin]

Council of Majorca produces new hiking guide » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

The Council of Majorca has published a guide to fifteen hiking routes in which seventeen points of particular cultural and creative interest are identified.
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The itineraries chosen can be walked in a single day and are adapted to different types of walker, including families and schoolchildren.
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One hundred copies of the guide will be in a draw lasting until 2 February on the Facebook page for the dry-stone route ("pedra en sec").

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Further stages will be added to the three initial routes, and work has already begun on the second one that will involve Fornalutx, Pollensa and Soller.
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see full article on the MDB-website

 

[mike_dublin]

Alcudia's wood is going » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

Work on the removal of the wooden walkway on Alcudia's Paseo Marítimo is due to start this week.
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The Balearic Port Authority, which owns this part of the port area, is spending almost half a million euros on replacing the wood with what will be more green areas. The work is due to take two months and will need to ready not just in time for the start of the season but also the boat show and gastronomy fair in April.

see full story on the MDB-website

 

[mike_dublin]

Action to tackle the drought » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

A package of measures is being introduced to increase water resources in the Balearics and combat drought.
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The lack of rain is such that in Majorca in the final quarter of 2015 the volume was 71% lower than the average of the past thirty years, while water resources in December were 11% lower than had been the case in the preceding ten years.
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see full story on the MDB-website

 

[mike_dublin]

Tougher measures adopted to tackle palm beetle » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

The Balearic government yesterday approved a decree to tackle the problem of the “picudo rojo” or red beetle that has been responsible for the destruction of palm trees.
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see full story on the MDB-website

 

[Sparky]

The MDB is running this story :-Hoteliers to cover cost of the tourist tax this year » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

 

[Molt de Renou]

Another "indirect" tax successfully applied by the local politicians, just like the extra 4 centimes on fuel prices.

Maybe the hoteliers will manage to have a bigger say in what happens to the money before it disappears down the plug hole.

Molt

 

[mike_dublin]

Britons advised to book their Spanish holidays as soon as possible » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

The Association of British Travel Agents, ABTA, today advised Britons planning on coming to Spain on holiday this year to book now. The Bulletin has been closely monitoring the huge early surge in demand for holidays in Spain, in particular the Balearics, since long before Christmas, which is unusual in itself and what first set alarm bells ringing in the travel industry.

Now, amidst fears that Spain could be sold out by the end of this month, ABTA today tried to ease people’s fears and calm the stampede for holidays.
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see full story on the MDB-website

 

[mike_dublin]

Cathedral filled by spectators of the "8" light show » Balearics » News » Majorca Daily Bulletin

On two days a year - the feast day of Saint Martin on 11 November and Candlemas (today) - the positioning of the giant eastern window of Palma Cathedral allows early morning sunlight at dawn to pass through the Cathedral and form a reflection below the smaller western window. The phenomenon, known as "8", occurs around 8 in the morning, ...

see full story (and picture) on the MDB-website