Cruise ships mostly escape tourist tax

THE Balearic Ports Authority (APB) has announced that following the introduction of the new tourist tax, it is unlikely that more than 10 per cent of cruise ships that visit the Port of Palma will be expected to pay the tourist tax as they will stay in the port for less than 12 hours.

Of the 517 vessels due to dock at Palma, just 47 are booked to stay more than 12 hours and the others will therefore escape the payment of the €1 (originally planned to be €2) tax plus IVA and rather than charge each passenger individually, the cruise companies will report the number of passengers eligible for the tax (as those under 16 may be exempt) and will make a single payment for each vessel.

There is a certain unfairness about the tax which has seen the government criticised, as pleasure craft which visit for more than 12 hours are not charged the tax.