WTTC: Μην υπερφορολογείτε τον Τουρισμό

Σε μια σημαντική θεσμική παρέμβαση για την αποφυγή της υπερφορολόγησης στον Τουρισμό, με γραπτή επιστολή τους προς τους 27 υπουργούς Οικονομικών της ευρωζώνης προχώρησαν οι Dr Michael Frenzel, Chairman of the Executive Board, TUI AG and Chairman, WTTC και David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC, υπενθυμίζοντας ότι ο τομέας των Ταξιδιών και του Τουρισμού είναι ο πιο "γενναιόδωρος"στην δημιουργία θέσεων εργασίας στην Ευρώπη, συντηρώντας 10.000.000 θέσεις εργασίας, έναντι π.χ. 3,2 εκ. της Αυτοκινητοβιομηχανίας και 8,5 εκ. του χρηματοπιστωτικού τομέα. 
Στην επιστολή τονίζεται ότι λόγω των περιοριστικών μέτρων λόγω της οικονομικής κρίσης, δεν θα πρέπει να αυξηθούν οι φόροι στον Τουρισμό.

ΚΑι επειδή κάποια στοιχεία και επιχειρήματα είναι πολύ ενδιαφέροντα (σ.σ μπας και ακούσουν τα σαϊνια της ΚΑραγιώργη Σερβίας), τα παραθέτουμε αυτούσια από την πρωτότυπη επιστολή.

Travel & Tourism is seen as a ‘cash cow’, an ‘easy source’ for generating quick money through new or expanded taxation.

However, the evidence suggests that taxing tourism does not reap benefits:
• Recent research by WTTC shows that the UK’s Air Passenger Duty costs the UK economy £4.2 billion in GDP and 91,000 jobs through lost business
• The Netherlands abolished its air departure tax after one year following significant decreases in passenger volume. The Euro300m earned in tax revenues was negated by the cost of Euro1.2 billion to the economy as passengers used alternative airports in neighbouring countries
• The Irish Air travel tax of €10 per person was reduced to €3 per person following a 2 million decrease in travellers to Ireland over 3 years
• In Germany the reduction of VAT from 19% to 7% for accommodation services at the beginning of the 2010 – in the midst of the financial and economic crisis – has paid off economically.
The number of available jobs in the hotel industry has since then increased on average by 20%, and the number of unemployed persons has dropped significantly more than in other sectors Simple measures can be taken to stimulate Travel & Tourism, increase visitor revenue and therefore jobs.
For example, a recent study by WTTC and the World Tourism Organisation showed how improvements in visa policies in G20 countries could increase Travel & Tourism employment by an additional 5 million jobs over three years and generate an additional US$206 billion in tourism exports.
This research was presented to the G20 world leaders by President Calderón at the G20 meeting at Los Cabos in June.