Provincial travel voucher proposal approved
Scheme would be for residents of Alicante province
A PROPOSAL to create a travel voucher scheme – like the Viatgem CV introduced by the regional government but just for trips within Alicante province – has been approved by the provincial government.
The ‘Destino Alicante’ motion was brought by the opposition Socialist party (PSOE) but received unanimous backing from the other groups.
PSOE deputy Óscar Mengual said: “All parties have always said that tourism is a state matter which is so important that all different ideologies must be satisfied and work together.
“This is what we intend with this proposal: teamwork and setting the ground rules so that there is a consensus on the technicalities and it can move forward.”
He explained that as well as giving direct aid to businesses, the initiative is beneficial for the public because they can get
to know places around the province which many residents are not aware of.
It would be available to residents who are on a municipal register (padrón) anywhere in Alicante province and would
provide a stimulus for the tourism sector both inland and along the coast, assured Sr Mengual.
Funding will now have to be reassigned from the 2021 budget and then the Costa
Blanca tourism board will draw up specific regulations for the scheme.
Viatgem
Meanwhile, more than 30,000 discount vouchers have now been issued under the regional government’s Viatgem CV travel scheme.
Regional tourism secretary Francesc Colomer noted that 1,000 of these were sent out just this week. He said the programme is going ‘reasonably well’ and they are considering extending it into 2022.
He admitted that tourism figures for Easter, like those for the first half of this year, will be limited by restrictions on crossing regional borders, but said it was a positive sign that people still want to travel if they get the chance.
Current expectations are that tourist accommodation occupancy figures for Easter will reach 60% inland but on the coast – where about 30-40% of hotels are open - only 50%.
“The world post-Covid needs tourism as an escape and as collective therapy to overcome the disaster we are all living through,” added Sr Colomer.