The Galicia region is planning to introduce new tourist taxes to deal with the growing issue of overcrowding.
There’s been some anger after Spanish islands started pushing for a tourist tax specifically for UK visitors in popular EU holiday spots. In Galicia, they’re also looking at bringing in tourist taxes to help with the problems caused by too many visitors.
Local authorities are proposing to charge extra for hotels and other places tourists stay, with fees ranging from €0.50 to €2.50 per person. For a UK visitor staying 14 days, this could add up to around £29.
In August, about 815,000 people visited Galicia, and one area, A Illa, saw a massive 88% jump in tourists compared to the same time last year.
The regional government of Galicia (the Xunta) is now working on the final details of a tourist tax, which will need approval from the regional parliament.
Xosé Merelles recently met with Santiago’s mayor, Goretti Sanmartín, and Tourism Councillor Miriam Louzao, to discuss the Xunta’s support for a tourist tax in the city, something the local government has requested.
The director of Tourism for Galicia explained that they’re preparing a set of rules to help towns that want to bring in the tax, giving them the tools to manage it properly.
However, not everyone is happy. José Antonio Cacabelo, the mayor of O Grove, told La Voz de Galicia, "A tourist tax isn’t the best solution. We’d rather the Xunta cover the costs, but if local councils are still expected to pay for things that aren’t their responsibility, we’ll have to find new ways to bring in money."
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