The managers of the hotels mention that the doubling of the tax has directly impacted the tourists who were aiming to travel to Costa Daurada and Terres de lÉbre. The situation led travellers to choose other places where the taxes are lower or inexistent, as Joan Calver, president of the Associació d’Apartaments Turístics stated, according to elPeriodico.

According to the same means of communication, Calver expressed that the tourist accommodation managers “are noticing a drop in calls and bookings, both from local and national markets, and the fact is that people who have found out that the tax will be raised are looking for alternatives in other more competitive beach destinations outside Catalonia and very close to the Costa Daurada and Terres de l'Ebre.”

“This measure puts at risk the viability of many businesses and professionals who depend on tourism, especially in low season, when margins are tighter and any increase in costs for the visitor can be decisive in the choice of destination and not only the accommodation,” warned the president of the association.

Therefore, along with the Federació Empresarial d'Hostaleria i Turisme de la Província de Tarragona, there will be a call out to Generalitat to review the measure, aiming to prevent the taxes from stepping back the tourists from the region. Calver also advises the city councils “to reflect seriously before applying the municipal surcharge.”