Benidorm reaffirms its position against the new tourist tax that has started the procedure today in the Valencian Corts

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, today from the Palau de Les Corts, has reaffirmed his position against the tourist tax, a "euphemism", he said, "because it is a tax" that affects the cost of service and affects tourism industry.

Pérez has pointed out that “in the document itself” it is highlighted that “it is a tax”. "A new tax -he said- that is only going to penalize the Valencian tourist economy, in the Valencian Community and doing it for regulated accommodation".

Thus, he insisted, "the sector that best contributes to creating wealth for all and redistributes like few others for the entire Valencian Community" is going to be greatly affected in terms of competitiveness, which will have its repercussions.
They are, he pointed out, "about 4,000 million euros that tourism contributes to the coffers of the Valencian Generalitat" and they will be penalized with what is a new tax created by the Socialist Party with Ximo Puig ".

It is due, Pérez said, to “a capitulation” which represents “a humiliation of the majority based on the demands of a few who have practically no representation”, alluding to “radical parties” and “minorities” that are supporting the tax.

The mayor of Benidorm went further and pointed out that this new tax is "breaking a historical reality: the consensus of municipalism in the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces" that opted for the opinion contrary to the Tourist Tax of municipalities and provinces that qualified " of tourist tax" given that it "only penalizes" those who enjoy tourism in the Valencian Community, also including Valencians who "will also have to pay for this new overnight tax in accommodation in our Community".

He reproached that the consensus reached on June 2 within the Tourism Commission of the FVMP "was blown up" in a meeting -which he described as "unpleasant"- by the speakers of this new study: PSPV, United- Podem and Compromís” that have, he insisted, “a deep ideological tic against tourism”, emphasizing that “instead of solving the serious problems that we Valencians have, it seems that they only live to create them and, as is the case, generate tourism phobia”.

For the mayor of Benidorm, it is necessary to "practice tourism", arguing in favour of the tourism industry, fundamental practices such as "the redistribution of wealth, the creation of employment and the mobilization of resources in infrastructure and services".

Tourism, Pérez pointed out, represents in the Valencian Community "a powerful industry" that does not deserve "the humiliating position" of the creation of this new tax. Toni Pérez described the situation as "unforgivable" considering that the Socialist Party and Ximo Puig "know very well the opinion of Benidorm" and that of the province of Alicante; even, Pérez indicated, “the opinion of the Popular Party and that of the PSPV mayors themselves”, recalling that in many municipalities “a unanimous vote has been reached with the Socialist Party and even Compromís Party saying at the time 'No' to the Tourist Tax", although, he specified, "we should have said no to a new tax that has begun its approval today".