Mallorca Ecotax Debate Heats Up Again: What to Expect in Summer 2026

Politics, hoteliers, and residents are once again debating an increase in the ecotax. A small summer surcharge—who does it affect, and does it really help?

Tax Up, Up — Or Not? The Debate Is Alive Again

When I drive along Passeig Mallorca early in the morning and bakeries open, I sense the old pattern: in winter we talk about infrastructure, in summer about crowds. Now it's one of those moments again. The government is debating, coalition partners are bickering — and suddenly an increase in ecotax for June to August 2026 is back on the table.

What exactly is at stake?

It's not complicated: In the hottest months guests might pay two euros more per overnight. Aim: less crowding, more revenue for projects like water treatment or wastewater facilities — things that no one sees on the beach, but that in Son Servera, Palma or the Playa de Palma make a real difference.

Politics and business meanwhile argue about how strictly these additional revenues should be earmarked. Hoteliers demand that every cent be clearly allocated. City administrations and municipalities say: we need control and sanctions, especially for vacation rentals that often do the accounts incorrectly.

A Round Table — and a Flaw in the Approach

They want to first discuss at the so-called Round Table for Economic Sustainability. Sounds reasonable. Only: decisions are delayed unnecessarily. Governing also means setting priorities — and doing so for the public good, not just to patch political compromises.

I'm not a fan of sweeping judgments. Two euros in peak season is not a drama for many couples. For residents, however, less noise, less garbage, and functioning networks can be enormously valuable. And yes: some hoteliers see it differently. They remind that the island creates jobs and taxes are hard to bear — understandable, but also predictable.

Control Is the Keyword

Less talked about is the practice: Who controls private rentals? Who watches the earmarked use? Without stricter controls, ecotax quickly remains only a buzzword in a budget balance.

In the end it comes down to three things: clear rules, transparent use of funds, and real sanctions for noncompliance. Without that, the discussion remains an endless back-and-forth — and Mallorca may continue to push to the limit, in the high season with too many people and too few solutions.

I have heard all of this many times in recent years — in cafés on the Rambla, at the Santa Catalina market, and on long evenings with hoteliers. Sometimes a small surcharge helps. Often, honest politics helps more.