University, mayors and tourism entrepreneurs are pitching against the odds and warning it makes Benidorm a target

And in addition once again in close ranks against the taxthe act also served for re-enactment uninterrupted support From industry businessmen and mayors like the popular Toni Pérez to the district Tourism secretary, Francis Colomerhe was very critical of his own party’s stance on the rate and Division in PSPVsent an extraordinary quota of public servants to the event.

The university, mayors and businessmen insisted that the rate was not only “inefficient”, “contradictory” and “unfair” but would also harm destinations, especially Benidorm. And they did it with the numbers they had.

According to the report by the UA, the implementation of the tax will allow the Generalitat raise a maximum of 53.6 million euros, trusting all municipalities that have accepted the application, 17 of them will be entered directly from Benidorm. neither more nor less one third of the totalDue to the weight of overnight hotels in the touristic capital compared to other models such as second housing, this city is the most sustainable and the one that creates the most tourism employment, although it is the city that brings the most revenue to the regional treasury through the taxes from tourist activities.

main results

The event began with the intervention of Francesc Colomer, who limited himself to explaining as a result of the doubts raised by the presentation of this work at Botànic. The essence of Invattur This “provide quality information and put academic solvency studies at the service of the industry and society, especially at a time of parliamentary debate like the present.” “Our contribution is this document and then anyone who does what they want‘, the district secretary added.

Armando Ortuño and Reyes González, members of the team responsible for writing the report from the UA University Institute for Tourism Studies, provided the main details of the study in question. Professors Ortuño and González noted that among their main results, in addition to the obvious damage the tax would do to Benidorm compared to other competing destinations outside Spain and the Valencian Community, the industry’s doomed to inevitably have to cut wages To offset the application of the rate, as was the case after the 2008 crisis prices fell by as much as 12% and it took eight years for the previous amount to recover to recession.

Also, as in jargon, Rev/Par’s per room per day, already well below the national average as well as other destinations where taxes apply where the damage to our community will be even greater. Specifically, they quoted the Rev / Par in Barcelona for 109 euros in 2019; 86 Euros in Palma; He said that the national average is 73 euros, compared to the Community average of 50.90 euros, so the profitability of the hotel will decrease significantly with the rate.

And without abandoning the prices, at the same time Difficulty exceeding this rate, A significant volume of accommodation sold through tour operators and these wholesalers closing prices at least one year in advance, therefore in most cases the tax is borne by the hotels, campsites or apartments themselves.

They also drew attention to weight of overnight stays in private accommodationThe rate does not apply to them, such as second homes or homes of relatives or friends that reached three out of every four stays in the Community in 2019, with a clear disadvantage for both. for tourist accommodation and unregulated offer, despite Turisme’s significant efforts to uncover the undeclared rental offer.

As an example, by examining the comparison between municipalities provided by the UA, where there is a significant tourism offer, for example 17 million will be collected in Benidorm, Torrevieja, compared to 600,000 euros at this rate, where residential tourism predominates.

Finally, in addition to addressing other issues such as damage to the destination image; sense of improvisation or uncertainty; or the difficulties that the administration, collection and processing of this tax will pose for the companies themselves, UA professors said that the tourism tax proposed by Consell “Tax on a specific tourism and business model, also crafted with the most sustainable city in the community”.

Contention

After the original presentation of the study, a intense discussion At this rate, many of those present at the meeting, including Benidorm mayor Toni Pérez, took the floor or applauded to show their support for the most critical comments. The first mayor of Dénia, the socialist Vicen Grimalt, made it clear in different forums that he refused this tax.

Full The Socialist Party has been one of those with the greatest presence of public and organic positions. in this action. Alongside Grimalt and Colomer, Tourism General Manager Herick Campos also attended; Regional MPs Trini Castelló, accompanied by other members of the Alicante PSPV leadership, such as Benidorm mayor Dani Luque, and Sandra Martín, who is also a member of the provincial executive; Sergio Carrasco, councilor in Ibi; In addition to the mayors of Alicante Trini Amorós and Lola Vílchez, Alfasino Luis Miguel Morant or Darren Parmenter from San Fulgencio.

Full, The only critical voice in the work presented by Colomer was the voice of his assistant, Trini Castelló, Socialist spokesperson at Les Corts in the tourist tax debate. Castello Questioned the report’s claims Referring to another study by the University of Valencia, it was stated that the imposition of the tax would result in a reduction in tourists, this voluntary tax does not affect demand, In cities where it is currently practiced, this effect has not been measured a posteriori. Likewise, the PSPV MP said: tourists must help support cleaning, security or maintenance costs your legacy; He stressed that the revenue from the tax should be used to improve destinations and that the tax has “the possibility of greater municipal fiscal autonomy” and then emphasized that: “every city council will be started whenever it wantsIt doesn’t have a date for 2024 or 2050″.

To his intervention, Benidorm mayor Toni Pérez quickly responded, wondering if “there is a voluntary tax that does not need to be imposed in 2024, 2025 or 2050”. What’s the point of confirming?” then reminded socialists that “all tourists already pay VAT for their consumption, accommodation and other activities in the destination”. The mayor of Benidorm also said that the tourism city “it already contributes enough to the public good” along with all the economic activities it produces.

Other speakers, such as Hosbec president Toni Mayor, also suggested that the tourism tax “Not the solution to the underfunding that the community has suffered for decades“And he stressed that this war must be fought in Madrid: “We spent them extremely underfunded, and what the Generalitat has to do is not go to the State and demand that the money that corresponds to us reach us, but demand it. our tourists and our destiny”.

Alicante’s socialist councilor stands out among the participants in the discussion. Trini AmorosThinking that the tax will negatively affect the municipalities’ own revenues as well as the impact on the tourism sector; Aptur, President of the Tourist Apartments Association, Miguel Angel Sotillosmentioning the chain losses caused by the implementation of this tax; Juan DelgadoFrom the Camping Association, which complained that in an industry where prices are as tight as they are, the impact of the rate would cause a significant diversion towards neighboring communities such as Murcia; Gabriel MartinezOn behalf of sports and tourism ports, which consider it absurd to punish those who come to see and visit us with such a tax; anyone faith Fuster, Stressing that the taxation in our country is already high, the hotelier and Hosbec board member is high enough to add another tax for travel in this case.