Tourist tax and Tari, operators in the non-hotel sector threaten winter shutdown

Heavy announcement from the city association that brings together the tourist facilities in the non-hotel sector: they could close during the winter months, just like the large hotels in the city have been doing for years. This was stated by the Sciacca Tourism Association, which yesterday, during a meeting at the town hall with the administration and the budget and production activities council committees, delivered a detailed document with precise and non-deferable requests. It is a sort of ultimatum: without concrete answers, the sector no longer considers it sustainable to stay open all year round.

The meeting, convened by the Committees chaired by Filippo Bellanca and Giuseppe Catanzaro, took place in an unusually collaborative atmosphere despite recent political tensions. Present were Mayor Fabio Termine, Tourism Councillor Francesco Dimino, the offices, and the operators of the association led by Ezio Bono.

The tourism sector has been asking for structural interventions for years and has put in writing a package of proposals that, if ignored, could lead to a drastic reduction in accommodation offerings during the low season: "We can no longer hold on alone – says Bono – for the umpteenth time we have requested the revision of the tourist tax regulation, with the earmarked allocation of a fixed share to essential services for hospitality, promotion, and tourist information. A historic request, which has remained a dead letter for years."

The association also requests the maintenance of current tax rates for at least 5 years, in order to guarantee stability for operators and visitors. It proposes to allocate part of the resources to the drafting of a strategic tourism marketing plan, an indispensable tool for a city that aims to compete with the main Sicilian destinations but which, in fact, continues to operate without a unified vision.

Among the most urgent requests is the Tari: operators are asking for a relief, considering the current costs disproportionate compared to the economic contribution that the sector provides to the Municipality through the tourist tax. They also request the programming of events throughout the year, especially during the low season, entrusting them to professionals and planning them well in advance: without a stable calendar, destagionalization remains a slogan. Reactivating the "Welcome to Sciacca" website, which has been abandoned for years, and participation in national tourism fairs.

Finally, interventions are urged on infrastructure: parking in seaside areas and the historic center, enhancement of urban buses, more efficient services for managing tourist flows.