Alex Trelinski
A Valencian tourist tax proposal has been slammed by an Alicante Province small business federation, despite no plans for any local council to implement it.
The Facpyme federation claims the tax will ‘drive away’ British tourists.
The levy, which is awaiting approval by the Valencian parliament, would introduce an accommodation surcharge of up to €2 per day.
Once it becomes law, there would be a year-long moratorium before it is introduced.
Even then, it would be down to each individual municipality to decide whether or not it wants to impose the tax,
No councils, including Alicante and Benidorm, have declared themselves as willing to boost local coffers by using the levy.
That still hasn’t stopped strong concerns being voiced over the tax.
President of the Facpyme federation, Carlos Baño, said families plan holidays on a fixed cost budget, and a loss of purchasing power caused by a tax would lead to lower spending in hotels, bars, and restaurants.
Baño claimed UK media coverage of the Valencian government tax proposal could deter British tourists from coming to the region.
“The tourist tax drives away British tourism,” he said.
“This situation must be corrected, because tourism and Alicante Province do not deserve this bad publicity as a result of a bad decision. It must be said loud and clear.”
Valencian president, Ximo Puig, speaking on Tuesday, said the ‘tourist tax is not going to be implemented in practically any city in the Valencian Community’.
Nevertheless, Puig, as PSPV socialist leader did bow to pressure from his left-wing coalition partners, Compromis and Podemos, to go ahead with the measure to satisfy their demand for it.
That’s despite the tourist sector taking a massive hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Puig’s PSPV colleague, and regional secretary for Tourism, Francesc Colomer, has not totally ruled out resigning if the tax becomes law, but added that he had not given any serious consideration to that scenario.
Speaking to regional broadcaster, A Punt, Colomer added: “I don’t know of any PSPV mayor who is in favour of applying it and it would stop tourists going to some places.”
The main opposition Partido Popular have said they will scrap the tax if they win next year’s regional elections.
READ MORE:
- Tourist tax plans revealed as Costa Blanca holiday industry reels from COVID-19 in Spain
- Angry business leaders rebel against ‘unacceptable’ tourist tax plans for Costa Blanca and Valencia areas of Spain
- Debate rages in Spain’s Valencia region over introduction of tourist tax
