Lagos Council is pressing ahead with a local ‘tourist tax’ of €1.50-a-night in a move that the mayor says will go towards covering the additional costs that tourism imposes on the municipality.
Algarve Mayors’ group, AMAL, already has approved the tax and it’s now up to each of the region’s 16 Councils to decide whether to impose the tax, or not.
Lagos Council’s executive has responded to doubts expressed by one of its Councillors, Maria Joaquina Matos, with Mayor saying she has no doubts about the "goodness of the proposal," since it is only fair that additional costs are borne partially by those who visit and not by residents.
The mayor’s stance is that the tax will help pay for local projects that will benefit all, cover a lack of investment from central government and will make the region more competitive.
Those opposed to the tax, cite the cost and inconvenience of collecting it, borne by hotels and Alojamento Local units, the fear that the tax will be swallowed up by general council spending and the depreessing effect the tax will have on tourist numbers.
The Council has decided to set up a working group while anyway proceeding with the administrative tasks needed before the tax can be imposed after a new Municipal Regulation is approved in the Lagos Council's General Assembly.
The AMAL agreement is to set the tourist tax at €1.50-a-night for the first seven nights, only applicable between March and October with an exemption for those under the age of 12.
Lagos Council reckons the tax will bring in approximately €1.5 million-per-year for the municipality.
Comments
The carpark and abandoned hotel? And i wonder who asked Seb to widen the beach? Somebody in Lagos Council did..
The ruination of Dona Ana beach was funded by Sebastiao 'demolition man' Teixeira's Algarve branch of the Portuguese Environment Agency.