AHETA praises outgoing Secretary of State for her receptiveness to hearing hoteliers
The Algarve Hotel Association (AHETA) has expressed its “total availability” to work with Portugal’s new Secretary of State for Tourism, Nuno Fazenda, who will begin his new role on Monday.
In a statement to the press, the hoteliers said they hope Fazenda will be as receptive to hearing what they have to say as his predecessor Rita Marques was.
Despite the strong relationship the association had with Marques, AHETA has vowed to work together with the new secretary of state to “solve the great challenges of the sector, especially those caused by the pandemic which are difficult to solve.”
Among the main challenges cited are the depleted treasuries of companies which were blighted by the pandemic and the difficulties that companies face when trying to hire – two issues described as “fundamental” for hotels.
“On our side, we will make every effort to present concrete and feasible solutions,” said the association.
AHETA also made a point to thank the previous secretary of state, who it says was always open to working together with hoteliers.
“We have to salute engineer Rita Marques and take her for all the openness she showed to work with the sector,” the hotelier said, adding that there was always an “open channel” between hoteliers and the secretary of state which helped solve many of the issues that companies faced on a daily basis.
Rita Marques seems to have paid the price of speaking out against Economy Minister António Costa e Silva.
Two months ago, Marques criticised the minister’s proposal to reduce the IRC (corporate income tax).
Speaking to Lusa, she said that “these matters should be discussed collectively in the Council of Ministers.”
João Neves, Secretary of State of Economy, also criticised the minister’s statements and has also lost his post, with Pedro Licínio to take over his position on Monday.
