Benidorm Mayor, Agustin Navarro is looking at the viability of introducing a "Tourist Tax" similar to that already in place in Miami following a visit by a delegation from the American city during the week. The Mayor of Miami Tomas Pedro Regaldo, together with the heads of important financial institutions came to Benidorm to discuss, share and exchange ideas and knowledge of two holiday destinations which both rely on tourism to sustain their economy.

Much needed revenue

Miami City Countil currently charge tourists one dollar per night and cruise passengers three dollars for docking in the port - something which everyone accepts and has raised a considerable sum of money, which is all ploughed back into the City to maintain services. Currently the burden of sustaining all the essential services falls on the residents of the town, yet when the influx of holiday makers arrive there is no extra funding from Central Government. However it is not a new idea for Spain. An "eco-tax" was introduced to the Balearic Islands last year but the controversial charge could be scrapped by the newly elected Government following a slump in visitor numbers to the islands - but it must be remembered, they are more expensive to holiday on in comparison to the Costa Blanca. Catalonia introduced a tourist tax in 2012 on overnight accommodation, with the rate varying between 2.25€ and 45c dependant on the rating and in the first year raised more than 41 million euros. It certainly hasn´t damaged or put visitors off going to Barcelona - the capital of Catalonia.

Unfair burden on residents

Two good examples of how a tourist tax could help in Benidorm are the beaches and policing. Many are attracted to Benidorm because of the miles of golden sandy beaches, yet they have to be cleaned and patrolled by lifeguards. The budget allocated for this comes from taxes paid for by the residents and businesses which live and work in the town. Yes it is a catch 22 as some are only viable because of the tourists that come, but they are facing a disproportionate burden. The same is true of the lack of police on the streets and repeated complaints of petty crime... revenue raised would go towards sustaining these services.

Benidorm Tax?

The Council, together with the Tourism Foundation will now instigate and conduct a comprehensive study to see how viable it would be to implement such a tax here in Benidorm. They would have to check that it does not violate any state or regional laws and the Mayor reiterated that it is not something that will be implemented with immediate effect, but something to consider for the future. In 2013 Benidorm recorded over 11 million overnight stays in hotels alone - charging a nominal sum such as 25 c would generate nearly 3 million euros. Funding for tourist resorts is always an issue, but Miami has shown how they have managed to fix it - will it work here without affecting visitor numbers?