Celestí Alomar, the former Minister of Tourism for the Balearic Islands Government, passed away on Monday at the age of 76. Alomar, a prominent figure on the left and in Mallorca’s sovereignty movement, served as tourism minister from 1999 to 2003 during the first “Pacte” government, led by Francesc Antich, and went down in the political history of the Balearic Islands as one of the main proponents of what became known as the “eco-tax.”
The measure, intended to tax tourist stays in order to allocate the revenue to initiatives related to the environment and the region, was approved by the Parliament in 2001. However, it was repealed in 2003 by the regional government headed by Jaume Matas. Years later, in 2016, a new left-wing coalition led by Francina Armengol revived the initiative under the name Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS).
Alomar’s political career was closely linked to Mallorcan socialism. In February 1976, he was one of the founders of the Socialist Party of the Islands, a political party that would later become the Socialist Party of Mallorca (PSM). He also served as director general in one of Felipe González’s governments and was a member of the Parliament of Mallorca from 1999 to 2007.
His defense of the eco-tax brought him into open conflict with much of the tourism and hospitality industry. Following news of his passing, Lluís Apesteguia, coordinator of MÉS per Mallorca, highlighted Alomar’s “unwavering loyalty” and mourned the loss of one of the “great men of our homeland.” Apesteguia recalled that Alomar was the first left-wing regional minister of tourism and that the implementation of the eco-tax led hoteliers to “declare open war” on him. “But his unwavering loyalty was always to the country,” he noted.
The Obra Cultural Balear (OCB) has also expressed its sorrow over the death of the former regional minister, highlighting his commitment to the language, culture, and region, as well as his support for the eco-tax. Alomar was a member of the organization and served on its Advisory Board.
With his passing, we have lost one of the leading figures associated with the development of the political left in Mallorca and the advocacy for a more sustainable tourism model—particularly through one measure, the eco-tax, which, decades after its initial adoption, continues to be part of the Balearic Islands’ tourism policies.
