PALMA
THE Alliance for Tourism Excellence (Exceltur) yesterday slammed plans to increase Spanish airport taxes.
According to the Spanish lobby group, any increase in airport operating taxes will directly affect 77 percent of all foreign passengers flying into Spain. The move has already been strongly criticised by European airlines including Europe's biggest no frills carrier Ryanair and the Spanish travel industry is strongly opposed to the plans as well.
The Spanish tourism industry is not only having to combat the global recession, it is also facing stiffer, increasing competition from new and merging destinations. Exceltur warns that any increase in taxes which will lead to a potential rise in the cost of an air ticket or a holiday will only be detrimental to the tourism industry which is currently extremely price sensitive. Not only have some competing European holiday destinations such as France and Greece either frozen or scrapped airport taxes this year to help the travel industry recover and encourage tourism, so too have destinations in North Africa which are becoming increasingly popular, not only for their culture but also as traditional sun and beach destinations.
Tourism is Spain's bread and butter market. After the volcanic ash cloud and the strikes, Exceltur says that this is all the Spanish industry needs.