Valencian hotels, forced to complete the underfinancing of the Imserso with public aid

• Economy Desertion of hotels at the start of the Imserso due to the rise in costs: "In some areas there is no offer"

• Benidorm Explores a 'private' Imserso with groups of the elderly in the face of the "ruin" of the state program

The two years of forced stoppage due to the pandemic, which was followed by the escalation of prices, did not convince the Government to update the

rates .

In other words, to revise upwards what hotels receive for participating in the state travel program for retirees, which, in many cases, saves the winter season.

Or allowed, because the employers of the sector have denounced that the extension of the conditions of the program by the

prevents hotel establishments from covering costs.

To the point that, in the case of the Valencian Community, many hotels have been forced to resort to

.

The paradox is that the public rescue of the hotels has come to the

chaired by the socialist Ximo Puig, who shares a government with Unidas Podemos, whose leader Ione Belarra is the one who heads the Ministry on which the Imserso depends.

The Valencian Executive has launched a direct aid program to distribute just over 4 million euros among 51 hotels.

The maximum amount that can be deposited is around half a million euros.

From the Generalitat it has not been hidden that the objective of the new line of aid - which contemplates being replicated in the 2023 budgets - is none other than "to

in the Valencian Community and the abandonment of the program".

According to the regional head of Tourism, Francesc Colomer, "from the Consell we continue to demand that the Government listen to the sector and reach a beneficial agreement for all, before approving the tender documents."

, in the hands of the PP

, has been shown to be tougher in tone .

It has also promised to inject 2 million euros into 37 establishments to "counteract the underfinancing of the Government of Spain" and "reduce the grievance so as not to lose places", in the words of José Mancebo, director of the Costa Blanca Tourist Board.

In his opinion, the 22 euros per person per night that the winning companies pay to the hotels are prices that "are out of the market."

Both public aids are compatible, so that if the Generalitat pays an additional 3.35 euros per person per day (6.70 euros per double room), the Alicante Provincial Council adds another 2 euros.

It must be borne in mind that, according to figures from the Benidorm-based

employers' association itself , a study prior to the pandemic already placed the minimum production cost at 27 euros (full board).

With the rise in prices -which has affected electricity and water bills, the cost of labor or food-, the cost has skyrocketed to 35 euros.

Hence, the hotel businessmen denounce that, with the current conditions, there are not a few who have had to give up continuing to participate in the Imserso.

If it was already in deficit before the pandemic, with the general increase in costs it is directly unfeasible for many.

Even so, the program gives direct employment to more than 2,000 workers linked to hotels, since Alicante alone -with

at the helm- concentrates 20% of the offer of places.

The problem is that for a good number of hotels the Imserso is key to surviving in low season.

Without retirees, they would hardly stay open in the winter months, which has led Hosbec to explore even alternatives.

For this year, a kind of private program has already been launched in collaboration with the

.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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• Impressed

• Alicante

• Government of Spain

• PP

• United We Can

• Ximo Puig

• Tourism