The Valencian Government has renewed support for a cornerstone of the country’s tourism program. A subsidy adjustment expands the help for hoteliers taking part in the Imserso campaign, increasing the per-night contribution. Initially, the administration committed to a six euro credit per overnight stay for travelers joining the Ministry of Social Rights holiday plan. That amount is rising to 6.70 euros. This decision, backed by the Presidency led by Ximo Puig, followed debates sparked by a ministerial price review and broader concerns about the energy crisis and inflation affecting the sector.
The Generalitat earmarked five million euros to ensure hoteliers did not withdraw from Imserso under the government’s terms. The additional funding aims to raise the sector’s price point, with the baseline already set at 22 euros per day for a full-board stay. The extra resources will raise the net payment to hoteliers to 28.70 euros per stay, a move supported by Hosbec and others in the industry.
Consell Comes to the Rescue of Imserso and Pays 6 Euros per Night per Stay to Compliant Hotels
The enhancement was possible because the Generalitat ultimately allocated more funds than initially required to subsidize all Imserso stays. This broader distribution, designed to improve the subsidy amounts, was agreed after input from the Tourism General Manager, Herik Kampos. The industry stands to gain from the elevated contribution for stays from February 1 to December 31. According to Kampos, maintaining the schedule for the 2022-2023 season is essential for sustained impact.
According to Kampos, the aid kept hotels operational from mid-October onward, enabling Imserso clients to access accommodations without passing along the price increases caused by the war in Ukraine. These increases had been frozen since the previous year, offering relief to both hoteliers and travelers.
The Generalitat’s balance sheet notes that this measure helped preserve more than 3,000 direct jobs. It also helped stabilize relations between business owners and the government, mitigating the risk of wider disruption.
One Million Euros Allocated for the Next Budget
In a landscape still shaped by the Ukraine conflict, the Consell has earmarked one million euros in the 2023 budget to safeguard the hotel sector should renewed Imserso support be required. While the 2023-2024 holiday program pricing remains to be determined, the Generalitat has signaled its readiness to extend aid should Brussels allow further injections amid the energy crisis. The fund is intended to be a prudent reserve, ready to be deployed if necessary to maintain stability in the sector.