Sustainable Tax Charge

S_C

We recently booked a holiday for 2 adults and 2 children. We decided to go 4 star this time round. A few days later i receive an email detailing we are subject to a "Sustainable Tax Charge". So i spoke with the travel agents and although they were sympathetic they couldnt do anything further as the tax is from the country being visited.

I explained that i shouldnt need to pay this tax as it wasnt advised BEFORE i paid my deposit - they claim its written within their T&C which i agreed to but my point is that the tax has only been introduced today so their T&C have been written to cover their back which is why they didnt advise me beforehand.

My annoyance is purely based on the fact that the tax charge has only been implemented today which is after the deposit was put down a few days ago leaving me with either canceling and losing my deposit or having to pay the tax - either way i lose out (i know the tax is small but thats not the point here).

If i was aware of this tax before i would have made my decision accordingly. In principle i feel they should have either given me the option to cancel without losing my deposit or the tax should only be applicable if i had booked today onwards as it wasnt in force until today.

Do i have any favourable options?

jonesMUFCforever

How much is the tax?

DomRavioli

S_C wrote: »

We recently booked a holiday for 2 adults and 2 children. We decided to go 4 star this time round. A few days later i receive an email detailing we are subject to a "Sustainable Tax Charge". So i spoke with the travel agents and although they were sympathetic they couldnt do anything further as the tax is from the country being visited.

I explained that i shouldnt need to pay this tax as it wasnt advised BEFORE i paid my deposit - they claim its written within their T&C which i agreed to but my point is that the tax has only been introduced today so their T&C have been written to cover their back which is why they didnt advise me beforehand.

My annoyance is purely based on the fact that the tax charge has only been implemented today which is after the deposit was put down a few days ago leaving me with either canceling and losing my deposit or having to pay the tax - either way i lose out (i know the tax is small but thats not the point here).

If i was aware of this tax before i would have made my decision accordingly. In principle i feel they should have either given me the option to cancel without losing my deposit or the tax should only be applicable if i had booked today onwards as it wasnt in force until today.

Do i have any favourable options?

So you are blaming a TA for something completely out of their control and brought in by the country you were visiting?

I smell a troll.

Caz3121

I suspect it may be Balearics...
a thread here about it https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g580312-i9959-k9401044-Tourist_tax_charges-Port_d_Alcudia_Alcudia_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html

S_C

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

How much is the tax?

Around £2 a day for each adult

DomRavioli wrote: »

So you are blaming a TA for something completely out of their control and brought in by the country you were visiting?

I smell a troll.

Im sure your not calling me a troll (you wouldnt say it to my face).... Yes im blaming them as although its out of their control they are the agency and thats what theyre being paid for otherwise i could have done everything individually.

Just a note - only reply if your willing to put some valued feedback. I dont care about anyones opinion as my question is simple.

S_C

Caz3121 wrote: »

I suspect it may be Balearics...
a thread here about it https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g580312-i9959-k9401044-Tourist_tax_charges-Port_d_Alcudia_Alcudia_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html

Thanks will have a look at that

PeacefulWaters

You haven't got a leg to stand on.

Sorry.

SW17

S_C wrote: »

If i was aware of this tax before i would have made my decision accordingly. In principle i feel they should have either given me the option to cancel without losing my deposit or the tax should only be applicable if i had booked today onwards as it wasnt in force until today.

Do i have any favourable options?

No, you don't really have any favourable options (assuming by that you mean "how do I avoid paying the tax"). The only possible one is goodwill, neither the agent nor the hotel has any liability here.

This has only been ratified in the last few days by the government of the Balearics, though it has been trundling on for months. They couldn't have included it anyway, like the tax in Catalunya and many places in Italy, it has to be collected directly at the hotel. T&Cs will usually have a clause allowing for any increase in taxation.

tamiami

If you had booked it all individually you would still have to pay the tourist tax locally. It is nothing to do with travel agents and all to do with the government of the country you are visiting.

mgdavid

to answer your question -
No.

AlexMac

The brilliant thing about being in Britain (apart from basics like a stable democracy and no marauding murderous gangs) is that we have the option to visit many places where we are welcomed as visitors and where holidays are cheap because (like Spain) their economies are weaker than ours.

We holiday in northern Spain, and are almost embarrassed to pay as little as 12 euros each for a 3-course meal with a bottle of wine...

So face up and pay the two quid a day.. look at the unemployment rates in Spain compared to England...