The approval of a tourist tax in the Algarve is a "dangerous temptation" at a time of tourism growth and recovery, said the president of the Association of Hotel Directors of Portugal (ADHP)."At a time when the Algarve is showing signs of higher levels of occupation, we run the risk of spoiling what we have been doing, to earn one or two euros per tourist," said Raul Ribeiro Ferreira, at the XIV Congress of the ADHP in Albufeira.
According to Ferreira, the tourist tax could damage the competitiveness of the region, especially when competing countries, such as Tunisia and Turkey, are recovering.
One week ago, the Algarve’s mayors group, AMAL, announced the approval of a tourist tax to apply to all 16 council areas across the Algarve, despite the Silves mayor’s objection in absentia.
"You have to be careful because taxes have to be budget friendly, if they are not, we may be creating illegal taxes," warned Ferreira, noting that he can not issue a definitive opinion on the tax because there are no details on how it will be applied.
Ferreira also said that the tourist tax is essentially a hotel tax, "because hotel clients are taxed and not tourists generally."
The president of ADHP said it seemed "strange" that the rate is the same for all municipalities in the Algarve, because there are "very different" zones and realities, and the flat rate tax could turn out to be "a source of problems."
Several associations in the hotel and commercial sector already have expressed their total opposition to the Algarve tourist tax.
AMAL announced that the measure had been 'unanimously approved,' but the mayor of Silves confirmed that she had communicated her position to the association of municipalities before the meeting at which the decision was taken and at which she could not be present.
British newspapers already have picked up on the tax, including 1.5 million-a-day circulation The Sun newspaper, with the headline:
and The Express (365,000) with:
