Spain’s former tourism minister, Maria Reyes Maroto, candidate for mayor of Madrid, could introduce a tourist tax in hotels in the capital if she is elected.
Madrid would not be the first Spanish destination to adopt a measure of this type: already Barcelona, Valencia and the Balearic Islands have introduced forms of taxation for tourists.
The electoral program of the Socialist Party candidate also envisages a tax for overnight visitors. The sums collected would be reinvested in infrastructure and tourism promotion.
However, hoteliers in the Spanish capital have already taken sides against the proposal, fearing a discouragement of tourist arrivals due to the tax.
