Once again, Las Palmas is blocking the southern part of Gran Canaria. The Administrative Court in Las Palmas has listened to the external lawyers for the Las Palmas employers' association, who, according to the judge who signed the ruling, have "certain significant deficiencies," but: "The weight of the arguments justifying the special urgency of the case decisively tips the balance," he emphasizes.
Thus, Las Palmas is once again intervening against the progress of southern Gran Canaria and has condemned the creation of the island's first eco-tax to enter into legal proceedings. The legislation, approved thanks to the favorable votes of the governing team (Juntos por Mogán) and opposed by NC-BC and PSOE, established the first municipal fee in Spain to tax the provision of specific services and activities related to tourism and the sustainability of the destination. Until now, the only taxes applied in our country were limited to the regional levels of the Balearic Islands and Catalonia, affecting only overnight stays.
The purpose of this municipal tax is to mitigate or eliminate the budget deficit generated by tourism in Mogán. The goal is to balance costs, since the investment demands for maintaining and modernizing services, infrastructure, and public spaces in a tourist destination like Mogán are much higher compared to other towns.
Until now, the City Council's income came exclusively from registered residents (21.175 people as of January 1, 2024). However, this figure does not reflect the total number of people using the municipality's services and infrastructure. In reality, the total population amounts to 48.214, including non-resident tourism workers and tourists, who represent 44,75% of this figure. This equates to 21.574 tourists per year, considering the average annual occupancy rate (73,46%) of the total accommodation capacity (29.368,22).
