In a statement, ACIF has expressed its concern about the current approach to tourism management in the Region and warns of “the risks associated with the intention, or temptation, of some municipalities to increase the value of the tourist tax,” this when new sectoral taxes proliferate, namely those applied to pedestrian routes, access to points of interest and the rent-a-car sector.
The association states that the “successive and poorly articulated” introduction of these measures is generating a significant cumulative effect on the overall cost of the tourist experience, “jeopardizing the coherence, control and predictability of the system of fees that apply to the sector. “This scenario may affect the perception of the value of the Madeira destination and, ultimately, the tourist demand and the competitiveness of the Region in relation to competing destinations,” considers ACIF.
The association, led by AntĂłnio Jardim Fernandes, stresses that “any changes or increases in fees with a direct impact on tourism activity must respect minimum notice periods, allowing companies to adjust prices, contracts and marketing models, safeguarding the credibility of the destination.” On the other hand, he defends the need for greater predictability, ideally through the early definition of the values to be applied over a multi-year horizon, thereby avoiding abrupt and unexpected increases, as recently verified in the access to Cabo GirĂŁo.
The Association emphasises the importance of being fully transparent about where collected revenues go, making sure they’re directed toward enhancing the tourism product, reducing the impacts of tourist pressure, and continually improving the quality of the experience offered to visitors.
Concluding, ACIF states that “the creation of new taxes on specific sectors, such as rent-a-car, cannot be used to transfer to the market and for the private sector responsibilities that arise from the absence of structural public policies, namely at the level of territorial planning, and mobility.”
At Baia d’Abra last week, there were two men sitting in deck chairs demanding to know if people had tickets for the walk or not. If not, they were directed to a board. There were no notices stating who the two men were, and whether you could buy a ticket from them directly. The fact that the two men were sitting outside with no shelter raises the question. Who manages the walking route when it’s too hot, too cold, or raining? And, are employees expected to sit outside in all types of weather with no protection and bathroom facilities?
Tourism guides have also complained that the three and four euro fifty fees and higher walking fees cannot be complied with, as the booking system only allows people, including tour operators, to book walking passes at the higher rate.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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