Mallorca ecotax row over races and road closures

Mallorca’s municipality of Calvià faces restrictions and closures on more than 44 kilometres of roads on Sunday: the Challenge Peguera-Mallorca triathlon is behind the disruption. The TUI Palma Marathon Mallorca will also restrict traffic in Palma, Mallorca, for much of the day. Fridays for Future Mallorca says the Balearic Islands government is using sustainable tourism tax money to support both events.

Questions over the funding

The government is funding the races to encourage tourism outside the main season. But Fridays for Future Mallorca accuses the companies behind them of contributing to overcrowding caused by tourism. It says the triathlon asks for residents’ support while bringing restrictions to their roads.

The group also says the sustainable tourism tax website lacks clear information about the funding. It says it has found that more than 10,000 from the tax fund went to the triathlon, but does not know how much went to the marathon.

A call to change the law

The campaigners object to funding tourist events while the environment suffers from the climate crisis. They cite a report by Xarxa Forestañ that says Mediterranean forests in Mallorca’s Serra de Tramuntana are drying out and dying because of historic heat. The group also says the sporting events take place in natural areas.

Fridays for Future Mallorca wants the law governing the Balearic Islands’ tourist tax changed. Its proposed rule would bar the fund from financing, sponsoring or subsidising tourist sporting, cultural or promotional events.

Topics: Tourism · Politics · Calvià · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com