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Majorca’s fresh war on tourists as new £6 charge proposal emerges

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British visitors to Majorca could be hit with yet another tax, as authorities continue to wage war on tourists.

Spain has been gripped by a series of huge demonstrations against mass tourism during the spring and summer.

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to vent their anger at an industry they say is out of control.

Local residents in the Canaries, Balearics and areas of southern Spain in particular are furious at the ever-growing number of tourists, as well as at rocketing prices in the property market, driven partially by an explosion in holiday rental apartments.

Another major bone of contention is the daily traffic jams that clog main roads and streets in resort towns.

Residents claim the overriding reason for this is the proliferation of hire cars being used by tourists.

Now local politicians are seeking to take draconian measures to curb car rentals in a bid to clear up the roads and cash in politically.

In an announcement on Monday morning, the Majorcan Nationalist Party MES said it wanted to introduce a new car hire tax.

They have proposed a rent-a-car surcharge of between two and seven euros (£1.68 to £6) a day in an effort to raise funds for public transport.

The new tax would be levied on the number of kilometres travelled by the vehicle per day.

“The more kilometres you travel, the more you pay,” MES said in their statement.

This is just the latest fee to be slapped on holidaymakers, who visit the Balearic Islands.

The islands are a magnet for tourists, with some 14.4 million visiting last year and spending a whopping €17.22 billion (£14bn).

Now it looks like tourists will have to fork out even more money for the pleasure of visiting.

Balearic President Marga Prohens said the tourist tax will go up in June, July and August 2025, without specifying by how much.

However, MES has called on her to double the rates across the board, as it continues to target tourists.

Rates are presently determined by the quality of the accommodation, with the current most expansive band being €4 (£3.30) per adult per day for a five star hotel.

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