Eduardo Jesus, Madeira's regional secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture, rejected on Saturday a bleak tourism forecast. It came from the region's main business group. Jesus accused the Associação Comercial e Industrial do Funchal (ACIF) of promoting alarmism. Jesus said the outlook does not match what airlines and tour operators are telling the government.
ACIF Forecasts Up to 20 Percent Tourism Drop This Christmas
The dispute began with an interview published the same day in Diário's print edition. ACIF president António Jardim Fernandes forecast that tourism activity could fall by up to 20% during the Christmas and New Year period.
Jesus called the prediction completely surprising.
This information is completely surprising, because we are in permanent contact with the sector.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Business Group Also Predicts 40 Percent Fewer Summer Bookings
ACIF's forecast went further, pointing to a 40% reduction in reservations for next summer. Jesus said the signals reaching the government are different. Officials recently attended the World Travel Market in London, where airlines and operators gave no indication of pulling back.
We have airlines that operate with us keeping, or even increasing, the number of seats available to Madeira. We have operators committed to selling the destination. Because of that, we do not align with this vision made public today, and even less with the alarmism these statements aim to create.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Jesus Points to Airline Signals From London's World Travel Market
The secretary also cited the national market, which continues to lead in number of guests. Jesus said this contradicts ACIF's outlook. Recent contact with Portugal's main tour operators showed a different picture, with some year-end offers sold out already.
There is no reason for this alarm, this far in advance. I don't know what the source of this information is, but at least, it is not the sector we meet with and work with daily.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Jesus acknowledged that tourism remains vulnerable to external factors, particularly international ones. But Jesus said there is currently no reason to follow ACIF's predictions.
Jesus went further, suggesting the association's alarm is tied to its opposition to fee increases pushed through by local authorities.
What seems clear to me is that there is a very direct link here with the disagreement over certain measures that have been taken, namely by the municipalities, and that, in return, this alarm is being raised - something I cannot agree with at all.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Secretary Defends Fee Policy, Citing Strategy Dating to 2015
ACIF also asked the government to suspend the fee increases. Jesus ruled that out, recalling that the association took the same position when earlier taxation measures were introduced.
The government is not willing to back down, for a very simple reason: ACIF's attitude is exactly the same as it had when we introduced the fees, some time ago. And the world did not end after that.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Jesus called the association's reaction "outdated" and said it brings nothing new to the debate over how Madeira positions itself as a destination.
The secretary also accused ACIF of opposing wage increases for tourism workers, even as the sector's profitability rises.
ACIF itself is against wage increases, and we are completely in favor of them.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
We maintain that the income the sector generates today should be shared across the whole chain, reaching those who work in this industry too.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Jesus said the disagreements show different views on how tourism should develop. Jesus insisted the regional government has backed the sector consistently, including in harder moments.
This is not a government that throws jibes. It is not a government of talk.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Asked about Jardim Fernandes's use of the phrase "schizophrenia in political power," Jesus declined to engage.
I will not go along with remarks of that kind. I think they have no basis.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
The secretary argued that the strategy followed since 2015 turned Madeira's tourism into a more profitable sector. Jesus said it also brought greater capacity for investment, modernization and innovation.
Today, we have a sector with added value, one that has allowed new investment, modernization and innovation, and that has created the conditions to pay people better. So none of this can be seen as schizophrenia. The opposite is what could be concerning.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Source: dnoticias.pt
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