Tourism association calls for better framework conditions for the industry
The Swiss Tourism Federation has called for better framework conditions for the sector, arguing that otherwise the targeted growth in the tourism industry will not be achievable. The conditions it has called for include a favorable VAT rate and sufficient funding for marketing.
This is the only way to implement the growth strategy formulated by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The fight for a favourable VAT rate will be one of the main political issues in the coming months, said Dominique de Buman, President of the Swiss Tourism Association (STV), at the organization's AGM in Lugano on Friday.
Furthermore, the STV advocates the indefinite continuation of the Federal Act on the Promotion of Innovation and Cooperation in Tourism Innotour from 2012. The STV firmly rejects the financing of Innotour via the financial credit of Switzerland Tourism in the next period - 2012-2015. The association also does not like the federal government's austerity program. The planned measures, such as the cancellation of 160 regional public transport lines, would unnecessarily call into question infrastructure that makes sense for tourism, said de Buman. In his speech, he emphasized the value of the tourism industry for the national economy: tourism is an important element of our national sustainability policy because tourism jobs cannot be outsourced abroad.
Furthermore, the STV advocates the indefinite continuation of the Federal Act on the Promotion of Innovation and Cooperation in Tourism Innotour from 2012. The STV firmly rejects the financing of Innotour via the financial credit of Switzerland Tourism in the next period - 2012-2015. The association also does not like the federal government's austerity program. The planned measures, such as the cancellation of 160 regional public transport lines, would unnecessarily call into question infrastructure that makes sense for tourism, said de Buman. In his speech, he emphasized the value of the tourism industry for the national economy: tourism is an important element of our national sustainability policy because tourism jobs cannot be outsourced abroad.
