Sunday, December 18, 2005
VALENCIAN COMMUNITY 'UNDER ATTACK'
Valencia Life.
Although it was apparently evident at the World Travel Market in London last month, it has now been officially revealed that the four main tour operators that bring British Tourists to the Valencian Community in general and Benidorm in particular - TUI/Thomson, My Travel, Thomas Cook and FirstChoice - are selling more holidays to resorts other than those inside the Community. In particular, the new resorts appear to be in Croatia andMorocco, whilst many 'insiders' have stated that this is also a part of the campaign aimed at devaluing the international reputation of the ValencianCommunity, coming as it does after the European Parliament issued some very harsh words to the Community over its land laws. Many tourism experts in the Community estimate that the actions by these four companies will see a drop in British tourists by at least 15% next year, and they add that British tourism in the Community had been on a downhill slide since 2002, but looks set to be more noticed next year. Equally, Matias Perez Such, the Tourism Secretary for the ValencianCommunity, added that Turkey was also on the list of resorts and countries offering sun, sea and beaches along similar lines as the Valencian Community. Mr. Perez Such added that he had noticed 'certain goings-on' during the World Travel Market last month, and these included a legal firm that was giving talks that set out a position clearly against some of the laws in the Valencian Community. "And who was paying for this? He asked. Benjamin Muñoz, the Secretary of the Federation of Promoters, added that behind the campaign against the Valencian Community that has been started inEurope, and reflected in the British press 'as well as by the association AUN are hidden economic reasons by both the tour operators and several British Law firms'. "A case in point," he went on, "Is the British firmIrwin Mitchell that is taking in clients in order to help them out and toobtain compensation for those allegedly affected by the LRAU." Rafael Blasco, the Conseller for the Territory, also had his own views yesterday when he stated: "There are some very relevant facts that can help one understand the interests of the British Ambassador or the surprising implication of the British Labour Party in the European Parliament. Equally,there is the unexpected withdrawal - two days before the debate in theEuropean Parliament - by the Labour Government of a law that allowed tax reductions on homes bought outside the United Kingdom." Clearly furious at all this is Francisco Camps, the President of the Community, who yesterday officially asked Josep Borrell, the Speaker of the European Parliament, for permission to come to Brussels to address theEuropean Executive body. "Nobody is allowed to damage the image or prosperity of the Community," he stated, " No one can give us lessons in sustaining our goods and services and their future development, and we must defend the best interests of the Community on an international level."
Valencia Life.
Although it was apparently evident at the World Travel Market in London last month, it has now been officially revealed that the four main tour operators that bring British Tourists to the Valencian Community in general and Benidorm in particular - TUI/Thomson, My Travel, Thomas Cook and FirstChoice - are selling more holidays to resorts other than those inside the Community. In particular, the new resorts appear to be in Croatia andMorocco, whilst many 'insiders' have stated that this is also a part of the campaign aimed at devaluing the international reputation of the ValencianCommunity, coming as it does after the European Parliament issued some very harsh words to the Community over its land laws. Many tourism experts in the Community estimate that the actions by these four companies will see a drop in British tourists by at least 15% next year, and they add that British tourism in the Community had been on a downhill slide since 2002, but looks set to be more noticed next year. Equally, Matias Perez Such, the Tourism Secretary for the ValencianCommunity, added that Turkey was also on the list of resorts and countries offering sun, sea and beaches along similar lines as the Valencian Community. Mr. Perez Such added that he had noticed 'certain goings-on' during the World Travel Market last month, and these included a legal firm that was giving talks that set out a position clearly against some of the laws in the Valencian Community. "And who was paying for this? He asked. Benjamin Muñoz, the Secretary of the Federation of Promoters, added that behind the campaign against the Valencian Community that has been started inEurope, and reflected in the British press 'as well as by the association AUN are hidden economic reasons by both the tour operators and several British Law firms'. "A case in point," he went on, "Is the British firmIrwin Mitchell that is taking in clients in order to help them out and toobtain compensation for those allegedly affected by the LRAU." Rafael Blasco, the Conseller for the Territory, also had his own views yesterday when he stated: "There are some very relevant facts that can help one understand the interests of the British Ambassador or the surprising implication of the British Labour Party in the European Parliament. Equally,there is the unexpected withdrawal - two days before the debate in theEuropean Parliament - by the Labour Government of a law that allowed tax reductions on homes bought outside the United Kingdom." Clearly furious at all this is Francisco Camps, the President of the Community, who yesterday officially asked Josep Borrell, the Speaker of the European Parliament, for permission to come to Brussels to address theEuropean Executive body. "Nobody is allowed to damage the image or prosperity of the Community," he stated, " No one can give us lessons in sustaining our goods and services and their future development, and we must defend the best interests of the Community on an international level."
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