The Consell rescues hotels with five million euros to make the Imserso program viable

The Generalitat Valenciana injects a total of five million euros into Valencian hotels to make the Imserso program viable.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
23 August 2022 Tuesday 06:44
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The Consell rescues hotels with five million euros to make the Imserso program viable

The Generalitat Valenciana injects a total of five million euros into Valencian hotels to make the Imserso program viable. Hoteliers have been protesting for months about the prices granted to this senior tourism program by the Ministry of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda, and before reaching September without a plan B, this agreement was presented this Tuesday.

In practice, it will mean that the Generalitat Valenciana supplements the cost of Imserso with six euros per stay, which will prevent "the 1,500,000 overnight stays that were in danger from being lost, surely the 60 hotels and 6,000 rooms would end up closed", he has highlighted the president of Hosbec, Antoni Mayor.

To justify this investment by the Valencian government, Puig has explained that "we do not understand that an acquisition of services below cost price can be favored" and has reiterated that "we will always be asking for prices to be updated".

However, far from entering into confrontations with the central government, the Consell makes a move: "Next season we have a lot at stake, there are 3,000 direct jobs and many more indirect ones", he pointed out.

For his part, Mayor has assured that "our great utopia is to collect the money for the cost". Mayor, who will soon leave the presidency of the hotel management association as he announced this summer, has highlighted that "we have never wanted to earn money, it is not the objective with this program, but now we would lose even our shirts and with that we were not willing to work" , has defended. Grateful, he has assured that "we understand that this message has permeated the Valencian administration".

In addition to Mayor and Puig, the Minister of Finance, Arcadi España; Hosbec's secretary, Nuria Montes; the regional secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer; and other representatives of the Hotel and Tourism Business Association of the Valencian Community.

Already in August, Hosbec urged the Government to include Imserso's vacation program for the elderly within the package of initiatives for economic sustainability due to the war in Ukraine. Now, the Valencian government picks up the glove and assumes, according to Ximo Puig, that "the initiative is framed in a situation of rising energy prices due to the increase in the war in Ukraine, and therefore, it is justified".

In the price update for the 2022-23 season, the Ministry that directs Ione Belarra sets that in stays of 10 days in the Valencian Community (with transport) the prices are 269.83 euros; and the same days but without transport, 235.95 euros.

In addition, these prices may be reduced for people who have economic resources equal to or less than the amount of non-contributory Social Security retirement and disability pensions.

The recipients are hotel companies that have worked in one of the Social Tourism programs for at least 90 days during the year 2022, which, added to the ordinary tourist season, becomes an establishment without seasonality.

It is estimated that around 60 hotel companies throughout the Valencian Community located in the municipalities of L'Alfas del Pí, Benicàssim, Benidorm, Calpe, Denia, Gandia, Guardamar, Jávea Peñíscola, Torrevieja, Vinaroz and Valencia can benefit.

The amount of the aid is established at six euros per contracted room / day up to the limit of 900 euros per room; with a maximum limit per company of 400,000 euros.