The hotel industry proposes to create electric bonds with the remnants of Covid aid and reduce taxes

MADRID, 28 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Hospitality in Spain has proposed the creation of electricity bonds, applying the remnants of the unapplied Covid aid and valued at 3,000 million euros, as well as lowering electricity taxes and tolls to mitigate the impact of the increase in energy costs in the sector, As reported by the employer in a statement.

Specifically, the hoteliers describe as "extremely serious" the situation that most of their establishments are currently going through, due to the rise in prices that reflect electricity and gas.

In this way, Hospitality of Spain has proposed a battery of measures to alleviate this impact, such as the approval and implementation of electricity bonds, applying the remnants of the Covid-19 aid to the sector. "It is necessary that from the different administrations, national, regional and local councils and municipalities, design measures to support consumption, cost reduction and transition to renewable energy sources," they stressed.

The hoteliers demand a reclassification due to the changes in their cost structure and having a status similar to that of an electro-intensive consumer, as well as the elimination of tolls and the search for contracting formulas adapted to the reality of the sector.

The employers of bars and restaurants also ask to reduce electricity taxes and regulatory costs, establishing temporary suspensions, moratoriums and postponements and granting public guarantees to be able to access long-term purchases of renewable supplies by user groups.

Finally, Hospitality of Spain urges the promotion of group purchasing systems and hiring auctions in the sector.

According to the data handled by Hospitality of Spain, energy represents between 6% and 8% of the costs of a hotel business, so a rise of one third can cause an increase of between 2% and 3% of the fixed costs in companies in the sector.

The average cost of a restaurant can currently be between 3,000 and 6,000 euros, which varies depending on the size, location and services provided. In this way, the percentage increase in the electricity bill will depend on the size and type of hotel business, which could be between 20%-40%.

Hospitality in Spain has recalled that the sector is "very sensitive" to this problem, since despite the good general data for the summer in terms of income, profit margins and business profitability are weighed down by the high cost , among other things, the price of energy that experienced a rise of 37.4% in August and specifically electricity exceeded 60% compared to the previous year.

Most of the hotel businesses (75%) have noted that the general increase in costs has led to a trend towards savings on the part of the customer, which has been manifested mainly in the reduction of the average ticket, reaching 54.5% of those who give their opinion in this regard in August.

In this way and after this situation, the forecasts for bars and restaurants for the last quarter of the year are for an average drop in sales.

Specifically, 71.3% of those surveyed think that turnover is going to be lower than that of 2019, 21.7% believe that sales are going to be maintained and only 7% think that it is going to exceed pre-crisis figures . Of those who think that billing will be lower, more than 80% believe that the drop will be greater than 10%.

Given the current situation, the employers have launched a calendar of actions, starting last week with a letter sent to the Presidency of the Government and the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge requesting a meeting to address the situation and proposed measures.

In addition, last week the hoteliers sent a letter to the main energy operators with the demands and concerns of the sector regarding the situation of the price increase.