Tourism concessions

Giving the tools to make the money

A new raft of tourism concessions, announced in President James Michel's National Day speech, will provide the travel trade with the necessary tools to make money from tourism, according to Tourism principal secretary Eddie Belle.

The new concessions, which are scheduled to come into force in early July, are primarily aimed at reducing the operating costs of tourist trade businesses.

PS Belle explained that a lengthy consultation process, which had seen proposals repeatedly shuttled between industry and government representatives, as well as President Michel's trade discussions, had resulted in the new concessions.

According to Mr Belle the concessions will be drafted into legislation as an update to the Tourism Incentives Act, drawn up in 2003.

"The new incentives are based upon enhancing the respective tourism operations and also reducing the operating costs," said the PS.

In addition to the new cost saving measures PS Belle also announced the establishment of a Tourism Standards Board.

The Tourism Standards Board was proposed in the 2001 Vision 21 tourism steering document and is now to be implemented, following further government–trade discussions.

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