12el Periòdic d’Andorrawww.elperiodic.ad DIMARTS, 10 DE JULIOL DEL 2018

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E N G L I S H E D I T I O N T U E 9

12el Periòdic d’Andorrawww.elperiodic.ad DIMARTS, 10 DE JULIOL DEL 2018

Tema del dia CONEIXEMENT SOBRE L’ÚS DE LES TECNOLOGIES el Periòdicd

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E N G L I S H E D I T I O N M O N 3

The country’s main econo-mic engine, the tourism sector, is once again affec-ted when it begins to rise af-

ter the confinement. Tourist esta-blishments are noticing a decrea-se in bookings due to the increase in coronavirus infections and the recommendations of some gover-nments not to travel to Spain. «It is thought that Andorra is Spain,» warn the sector.

The figures from the Hotel Uni-on of Andorra (UHA) highlight a cer-tain stability in the number of reser-vations. Specifically, this week an average occupancy of 50.64% is ex-pected, with Encamp being the pa-rish with the most reserves (61.33%).

MARICEL BLANCH

33 Tourists walk with their bags on Carrer Príncipe Benlloch in Andorra la Vella.

The hotel sector registers 30% of bookings for the month of August78% of establishments are open and the highest influx occurs during the weekends

Occupancy in tourist apartments has declined with the resurgence of neighbouring countries

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DECREASE IN VISITORS DUE TO FEAR

Since the beginning of July, this per-centage has remained the same, alt-hough the director of the UHA, Jordi Pujol, clarified that there are several ways of interpreting the data, as on-ly the heads of week 78% of hotels re-main open. More than a dozen esta-blishments have not opened during this summer season and those that have done so have very few visitors during the week.

Thus, a percentage of employ-ment is expected to be between 25 and 30% throughout the month of July and it is expected that the reser-ves for the month of August, which currently represent 31.02% of ave-rage among all parishes, reach 40%. This figure is a 50% drop from last ye-ar, it and is supported in part by the fact that the number of unforeseen cancellations equates to last-minu-

te bookings. «The information co-ming from neighbouring countri-es is what most marks cancellations and last-minute bookings. For these, we are having so much variation be-tween the forecast and the real one”, UHA said.

According to the Andorran study in figures carried out by the Depart-ment of Statistics in 2019, 72.4% of overnight stays were in hotels, whi-le tourist apartments accounted for 11.7% and aparthotels for 9, 2%. This summer season, with the health cri-sis and the pressure to minimize contact, predicted an unpreceden-ted situation in the country. Speci-fically, that visitors choose to stay in apartments or even cottages to avoid the common areas of hotels.

In this sense, the president of the Association of Tourist Accommoda-

tion Companies, Àlex Ruiz, reported that current employment is betwe-en 40 and 60% lower than in 2019, with Pas de la Casa being the most affected sector. “We have a lot of dif-ficulties for tourists to stay overnig-ht. It’s always weak, but this year it hasn’t even reached 10%, «he said.

Compared to the beginning of the month, they explain from the organization, the cancellations ha-ve increased. «10 days ago everythi-ng was reservations and now, 60% are reservations and 30%, cancella-tions,» said Ruiz. And it is that, seve-ral tourist establishments empha-sized that they are suffering many last minute casualties, also in the ru-ral houses. The reason is the same: a mixture of fear and uncertainty of what might happen.

The owner of Cal Xixarro stated

that the rural house was more inte-resting than the hotel and the apart-ments that he runs. However, like other accommodations of this na-ture consulted by EL PERIÒDIC, he stated that few reservations are for long stays, an unusual fact compa-red to other seasons.

That’s why some business ow-ners have decided to set a minimum number of days of accommodation or lower prices and offer deals, es-pecially on weekends. An issue that the UHA considers has not been pro-nounced as in 2007, but which the entity still does not recommend. In particular, this year for the costs in-curred to ensure the hygienic me-asures ruled by the Ministry of He-alth.

In addition, from the house Ru-ral Mariola emphasize that one of the other extraordinary consequen-ces is that they have not yet registe-red any reservation for the winter season. H

«Information from neighbouring countries is the most marked last-minute cancellations»

“We have a lot of difficulties for tourists to stay overnight. The Pas de la Casa has not reached 10% »

Jordi Pujol

Àlex Ruiz

DIRECTOR DE LA UHA

ASS. TOURIST ACCOMMODATION

el Periòdic Newswww.elperiodic.ad el Periòdic NewsMONDAY, 3 AUGUST 2020 13

The Andorran Business Confederation (CEA) has reaffirmed its position in favour of Andorra’s acces-

sion to the International Mone-tary Fund (IMF). In a statement, the employer expressed its opi-nion after receiving explanati-ons about the agreement from the Minister of Finance, Eric Jo-ver, in a meeting held at the sa-me headquarters of the CEA last Thursday.

Thus, as reported by the em-ployer, some of the advantages that we take into account when supporting the accession pro-cess are «technical assistance in the fight against money launde-ring, specialized advice of first level, the international homo-logation and the access to the fi-nancing in case of need ». And it is that, as they point out, despi-te the fact that an economic re-bound is expected for 2021, the current context «leaves us with

CEA

33 Meeting of Finance Minister Eric Jover and CEA members.

The CEA is in favour of accession to the International Monetary FundThe employer reaffirms its position after Minister Jover gives them the details of the project

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STATE FINANCE

rations with the Council of Euro-pe Development Bank (CEB) and also with the European Invest-ment Bank (EIB), which as reca-lled by the CEA in its text , is «an entity that allows you to apply for high-value loans linked to lar-ge infrastructures.»

However, the CEA considers that «the will of the Government is to consolidate and expand the options in order to be prepared in case of need.»

FORMER DEMAND OF THE CEA / As the employer pointed out in its sta-tement, the entity “has long be-en asking the country to join the IMF, as this would improve the country rating, and in return, would reduce the financial ex-

penditure, which would transla-te into more budgetary availabi-lity for public investment. Thus, as pointed out by the President of the CEA, Gerard Cadena, «the explanations that Minister Jover gave us reaffirm our support.»

In fact, trying to make a com-parison, Cadena said that «being a member of the IMF is like ha-ving a car insurance, which is better not having to go through it, but without insurance you can not travel with guarantees.»

THE FEE TO BE PAID, THE GREAT DOUBT

/ In recent weeks, Andorra’s ac-cession to the IMF has aroused much debate, among political representatives, institutions and entities in the country. Specifi-cally, one of the issues that has raised the most dust around the entry into the Fund is the quo-ta that the Principality will ha-ve to face.

On the one hand, in early July, the Social Democrat counci-llor, Pere López, accused Jover of lying about the cost of members-hip, and warned that the 101 mi-llion of the quota would mean «a budget reduction» and «a debt ». From the other side of the oppo-sition, Terceravia’s councillor, Josep Pintat, considered joining the IMF a «very positive element» that «can bring credibility and reputation to the country».

But the debate has dragged on throughout July, to the point that Minister Jover organized a meeting with the press to detail the evolution of the country’s funding and rebound, explain the payment of the entrance fee to the ‘IMF, where he stres-sed that the real cost would be a first deposit of 266,500 euros in an Andorran account in the name of the Fund and an annu-al fee of 4,677 euros. These expla-nations did not convince the for-mer head of government Jaume Bartumeu that last Wednesday, in a press conference, he accused the Executive of “playing games of hands and numbers” to justi-fy the price and highlighted that “there is an encrypted element and it is 101 million euros ». H

«Being a member of the IMF is like having a car insurance, it’s better not to have to go through it but you can’t travel without it.»

«It seems to us that it is an essential tool to be able to continue modernizing and diversifying the economy»

Gerard CadenaPRESIDENT OF THE CEA

The CEA believes the Government is implementing several options to give security to public coffers

a scenario that predicts an incre-ase in the deficit of the state cof-fers of about 200 million euros». Specifically, according to figu-res presented by Minister Jover on several occasions, the estima-ted deficit for the years 2020 and 2021 is 188 million euros, given that the situation is changing due to the characteristics of the Covid virus -19, which has led the country to this situation.

The CEA also wanted to state that «the government is imple-menting various options to pro-vide security to public coffers, beyond the issuance of debt or the extension of credit with the country’s banks.» These options mentioned by the Employers in-clude negotiations of credit ope-