Social Democrat Deputy (PSD), Paulo Neves, has expressed his concern about the lack of support and attention from the Government of the Republic to entrepreneurs in the tourism industry and, in particular, to entrepreneurs in local accommodation (AL).
At issue, he said, are the problems these establishments face due to the lack of customers particularly as owners are unable to rent them as a change in activity means they must be rented for a mandatory period of five years. Greater flexibility is required to allow for a change of use while there is a lack of tourist demand. He, like many others, hopes tourist levels will recover sooner rather than later.
Furthermore, Paulo Neves stated that the current ruling does not make sense and contradicts the support and proximity posture that the Republic has been proclaiming regarding the recovery of this sector, by preventing its agents from taking the right decisions based on their expectations for their businesses.
He stressed that the local accommodation sector is not and cannot be seen as the poor relative of tourism, but rather as an important component for the provision of this type of product, which has been growing significantly in recent years. Further, he confirmed that in Madeira there are already more than 3,600 local accommodation units, which correspond to approximately 20 thousand beds most of which exist as a result of the foresight and investment of young entrepreneurs.
Young entrepreneurs need more than ever before to be supported and not penalised by the State, in this phase of recovery, saying that local accommodation not only served to provide and encourage tourist demand for destinations but also contributed to the rehabilitation of cities and created economic dynamism for small cities, towns and localities, throughout the Region and Portugal as a whole.
What we have said to the Assembly of the Republic is that regulations must be sufficiently flexible to facilitate the recovery of this sector including a relaxation of rental periods. We all hope that this crisis will be of short duration. Paulo Neves further stated that the PSD is in favour of good investment solutions, but not obstacles or impositions that do more harm than good.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
