The controversial 50c-a-day tourist tax that started being collected last month will be used “exclusively” for tourism-related projects, the Ministry of Tourism has confirmed.

Some €6 million a year is expected to be collected from the tax paid by tourists, which has been capped at €5.

Contacted by this newspaper, a ministry spokesperson explained, “This eco-contribution will be used exclusively to improve the quality of the tourism product in our country at a time when the tourism sector is achieving unprecedented success.

“The funds will be administered by a trust which will review a number of projects proposals that will be implemented by 2017.”

The eco-contribution will be collected by the Inland Revenue on pre-set periods. The first period covers five months, starting on 20 June and ending in October. As such, the initial collection will be towards the end of year.

Results from the tourism sector this year are expected to break visitor number records, with 855,000 tourists having visited the country in the first six months in this year alone.