Politics
FRENCH SENATE ECONOMIC AFFAIRS UNVEIL 30 PROPOSALS FOR REVIVAL OF TOURISM
CONCRETELY FROM THIS SUMMER
Louvre (Source: Office Tourism)
USPA NEWS -
The monitoring and control unit of the Senate economic affairs committee is proposing a plan of thirty proposals for reviving tourism this summer, the result of dozens of hearings and countless letters sent to senators by local businesses on the territories. For senators, tourism is part of our national landscape, our way of life, our common heritage. It represents between 7 to 8% of the GDP. We owe it to the more than two million French people and the 300,000 companies that support this sector of activity. The state must be by their side. Without a massive solidarity response, thousands of jobs, skills and know-how could be lost.
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A NECESSARY SHOCK OF CONFIDENCE
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Recommendation n ° 1: keep a clear discourse on the calendar
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Recommendation n ° 2: define good health practices and disseminate them massively
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Recommendation n ° 3: rely on the couple elected local-prefecture
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Recommendation n ° 4: define clear and assessable objectives
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Complete the cash flow measures and ensure that they will accompany the recovery
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a) The measures to support the treasury of economic actors could be further amplified.
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Recommendation 5: strengthen the solidarity fund
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Recommendation n ° 6: continue the reduction in charges linked to compulsory deductions
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Recommendation n ° 7: the State must financially support local authorities so that they can reduce the levies on tourism businesses
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Recommendation 8: further expand partial unemployment
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Recommendation n ° 9: soften the conditions for granting the loan guaranteed by the State and extend the repayment periods
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Recommendation 10: Ensure that the extension of bank loan maturities does not give rise to excessive counterparties
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Recommendation 11: continue the effort to mobilize insurers
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Recommendation n ° 12: mobilize the Social Tourism investment fund today
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b) They must remain applicable even after resumption of activity.
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Recommendation n ° 13: ensure that the cash flow measures will remain applicable after the recovery in order to avoid a new shock linked to the increase in expenses
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Special difficulties to be resolved in the short term
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a) A disparate implementation of Ordinance No. 2020-315 of March 25, 2020, the effectiveness of which could be strengthened to better protect the consumer [1].
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Recommendation n ° 14: ensure the correct application of the order by online platforms
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Recommendation n ° 15: set up an exceptional state guarantee for the assets issued by the hosts
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Recommendation n ° 16: call online platforms to solidarity towards the most fragile actors, through a temporary reduction of commissions
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b) The problem of recruiting seasonal workers
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Recommendation n ° 17: broaden seasonal workers' unemployment rights
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c) The exposure of consumers and tour operators to the risk of airline bankruptcy
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Recommendation n ° 18: legislate at European level on the assets offered by airlines and create an exceptional air ticket guarantee fund
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d) Solidarity between owners and managers of tourist residences
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Recommendation n ° 19: reduce the rent charges of operators of tourist residences
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e) The particular needs of casinos
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Recommendation n ° 20: adjust the particular taxation of casinos
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Recommendation n ° 21: adjust the applicable regulations in order to allow reopening under satisfactory sanitary conditions
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f) The difficulties specific to mountain resorts and ski areas
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Recommendation n ° 22: adapt the responses to the specificities of mountain resorts and ski areas
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Beyond the urgent support for the actors' treasury, the need to build a real recovery plan dedicated to tourism, acting on both supply and demand, accompanied by a communication plan.
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a) Establish a communication plan promoting our territories.
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Recommendation n ° 23: support the recovery through a communication plan highlighting our territories and their professionals
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Recommendation n ° 24: continue international communication
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b) The necessary support for demand this summer
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Supporting demand also means supporting tourism professionals.
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Recommendation n ° 25: set up an exceptional aid system for departure on vacation
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Recommendation n ° 26: exceptionally lower motorway prices this summer
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Recommendation n ° 27: set up mechanisms targeted at certain audiences
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c) SUPPORT FOR INVESTMENT BY PROFESSIONALS
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Recommendation n ° 28: strengthen the incentive and support mechanisms for investment
d) Build a recovery program within a National Council, the implementation of which would be ensured by a Minister of Tourism.
Recommendation n ° 29: define a recovery program within the framework of a National Tourism Council, the implementation of which would fall to a Minister of Tourism
5 Lessons for the post-crisis
a) Normative changes to consider
Recommendation n ° 30: in the medium term, learn the normative lessons from the crisis
“¢ treatment, by insurance;
“¢ guarantee of tickets issued by airlines;
“¢ relationships between online booking platforms and professionals in the sector.
b) Thinking about changes in tourism
For more details: plan of thirty proposals for a revival of tourism this summer
[1] Ordinance No. 2020-315 of March 25, 2020 relating to the financial conditions for the termination of certain tourist travel and stay contracts in the event of exceptional and unavoidable circumstances or force majeure.
The Economic Affairs Committee is chaired by Sophie Primas (Les Republicains - Yvelines).
The pilots of the watch, control and anticipation unit dedicated to tourism are Michel Raison (Les Républicains - Haute-Saône), Evelyne Renaud “‘ Garabedian (Les Républicains-ratt. - French living outside France), Viviane Artigalas ( Socialist and Republican - Hautes “‘ Pyrénées) and Guylène Pantel (RDSE - Lozere).
The activity of the Senate takes place in strict compliance with the sanitary conditions dictated by the need to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. Source : French Senate
Covid-19 Outbreak Senate Economic Committee Sophie Primas Chairwoman Tourism Evelyne Renaudgarabedian Viviane Artigalas Les Republican France Jedi Foster Rahma Sophia Rachdi
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