Briefing
PALMA DE MALLORCA — Iago Negueruela, spokesperson for Partido Socialista de les Illes Balears (PSIB) in the Balearic Parliament accused the regional government on Monday, 21 September 2026, of sending contradictory signals on tourism policy. According to Negueruela, the government called for an increase in the Impuesto de Turismo Sostenible (hereafter: sustainable tourism tax), while also advocating lower airport charges and expansion plans for the airports of Palma and Eivissa. Negueruela described the Govern’s approach to the tourism model as a “permanent policy of untruth”.
In the PSIB’s view, the core of the criticism is the lack of coherence between regulatory instruments and expansion or competitiveness goals: a higher tax on overnight stays is intended to secure revenue for environmental and infrastructure projects, while lower charges for airlines and support for new air routes could encourage travel and increase traffic. Negueruela cited routes to hubs such as Dubai, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, which would be promoted in the low season.
The PSIB representative also complained that the existing plan for managing tourist areas, which he said envisaged a reduction of around 18,000 tourist beds, would apparently not be revised: the Consell de Mallorca had announced that it would not amend the relevant provisions and would allow qualitative growth. Negueruela warned that an increase in hotel beds, holiday rentals, air routes and cruise ship calls could add to pressure on the environment and infrastructure.
AenaAena, the state-owned airport operator, was criticised at the press conference; Negueruela said the airports were turning too much into “market stalls” as a result of excessive commercialisation. The government and Aena did not respond to the accusations during the event.
The debate brings together key conflicting objectives: fiscal instruments such as the sustainable tourism tax, regulatory limits on bed capacity and infrastructure decisions concerning airports. No specific decisions on charges or expansion projects were announced on Monday; the statements nevertheless set out the opposition’s position ahead of upcoming parliamentary discussions.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).