Cancun’s hotel owners want cruise companies taxed

Within the framework of the Caribbean Marketplace now underway in Puerto Rico, hotel owners from the Mexican state of Quintana Roo –the country’s major tourist circuit- are turning to the Caribbean Hotel Association to put up a fight against the tourist cruise industry, said Abelardo Vara Rivera, leader of the local hotelkeepers.

“Time has come to halt the voraciousness of cruise companies that haven’t so far been faced off by so united a group like Quintana Roo’s hotel owners,” Mr. Rivera was quoted to say.

Cruise companies –he added- have money, so they should pay more taxes. The intention behind this effort is to egg Caribbean entrepreneurs on to levy additional taxes on cruise liners during their calls.

Mr. Rivera went on to say that his association would hand in another petition in the Puerto Rico meeting because, “right now, nothing is more important than the risk posed by cruises.”

That’s why –he said- the issues of low fares and the promotion conducted in other countries of the region to cope with this problem won’t be open for discussion at the meeting, nor the poor tourist inflow.

Without providing additional details on the proposal, Mr. Rivera pointed out there are 12 representatives from Quintana Roo’s Hotel Association present at the meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who are bound to unveil the group’s official stance on the matter.

The local leader vowed more pressure for the elimination of some legal loopholes that have dragged tourism to the brink of extinction after the Home Port in Xcaret got the green light to operate there.

In Mr. Rivera’s own words, the Caribbean Hotel Association had already faced up to a similar situation in the past, but it lost the legal battle due to its members’ bleak unity.

”That’s the reason behind the proposal we’ll hand over in San Juan. We’re going to show that we can put up with the cruise companies,” he explained.

Puerto Rico is currently holding the Caribbean Marketplace, the region’s most important tourist event this year. The meeting serves to gather details on the realm of business and the development of new lines of products.

According to the Caribbean Hotel Association’s press office, as many as 400 purchasers from all around the world confirmed their attendance at the San Juan’s Marketplace, an event opening a window of opportunity to get in touch with regional tourist service providers, tour operators, congress and convention planners, as well as with owners of scuba diving businesses.

The event’s ribbon-cutting ceremony took place yesterday at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, a sport compound outfitted for business meetings.