Spain assists tourism by cutting Airline Taxes..

On the second day of the State of the Nation debate in Congress, the Prime Minister has presented a new measure to boost a sector which is key to the Spanish economy - tourism. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced on Wednesday that airlines which bring in more tourists to the country will be freed from airport tax.

The government will pay the tax on behalf of all passengers for airlines which carry more passengers in the second half of 2009 than their amount for the last six months of 2008. There will be increased travel assistance for residents of the Canary Islands in the form of a 30% subsidy on tickets for flights between the islands and the mainland. They currently get 15%.