Following in the footsteps of Formentera, Ibiza is now imposing a tax of one euro per day on cars entering the island. A symbolic measure that has sparked debate: is it a real deterrent or just a drop in the ocean of mass tourism? In any case, some shipping companies are already crying foul.
A one euro per day tax to bring cars in Ibiza. The measure may seem ridiculous given the influx of vehicles on the island, but it has a clear objective: to raise awareness of the territorial and environmental limits of the White Isle. Starting this year, all vehicles entering Ibiza will have to pay this daily tax. An initiative modeled on the one already in place on Formentera. In the same time, Ibiza will also regulate the number of tourist cars this summer.
The first skeptics were quick to come forward. Some consider the measure unnecessary, arguing that when you spend thousands euros in Ibiza, this won’t make any difference. Others see it as a first step towards stricter regulation of endless stream of cars saturating the island every summer.
Shipping companies rebel
There is growing discontent among the shipping companies. Baleària, one of the main operators of ferries between Spain and the Pitiusas, has not minced its words. For them, the measure could lead to a reduction in routes and an increase in prices. A thinly veiled pressure tactic, while the president of the Island Council, Vicent Marí, insists: « Tourism must be sustainable or it will disappear« .
Behind this mini-tax lies a broader debate about the future of Ibiza. Who will win out between environmental protection and economic imperatives? One thing is certain: this initiative is just the beginning of a long battle between institutions, businesses and residents. And it proves again that Ibiza will do anything to limit tourism cars on the island.
