Vasco Cordeiro announces three new measures to support workers and companies in the tourism sector
The President of the Government announced today three new measures to support the Region's tourism sector, which aim to protect workers and defend companies in this area from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These new measures are part of the set of measures that have been implemented at regional and national level. They have two main purposes: employment protection and worker protection, but also the defence of companies, which are currently facing increased challenges arising from circumstances that neither companies themselves nor public entities can control," said Vasco Cordeiro.
After receiving the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada and the Specialised Tourism Commission at an audience, the President of the Government revealed that the Government will create a programme to support the operating costs of companies in the tourism sector. It consists of non-refundable support aimed at subsiding 75 percent of eligible expenses, namely water and energy, rents, communications, insurance, surveillance and security.
According to Vasco Cordeiro, this support is directed to companies in the areas of accommodation and catering and beverages, rent-a-car agencies, travel agencies, tour operators and guides, as well as companies providing recreational and leisure actives and other tourism services.
"The maximum amount per company is set at 100 thousand Euros and at half a million Euros in the case of a group of companies," the President of the Government announced, revealing that 10 million Euros are planned to finance this new programme.
The monthly eligible amount is based on the average amount for April and May of this year and this measure will cover the expenses for the period between July 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
"As usual, there is a condition regarding the allocation of support, which concerns the maintenance of employment levels by companies, according to the companies' payrolls for January and February 2020," noted the President of the Government.
According to the President of the Government, a second measure is aimed at companies that have opted for the progressive resumption of their activity and that are in a normal layoff situation. They will now benefit from a support mechanism that corresponds to minimum wage for each worker participating in training initiatives.
"The third measure aims to support companies that have resumed their activity and have invested in the improvement of the qualifications of their workers," said Vasco Cordeiro. As he added, it corresponds to an amount set at 40 percent of the minimum wage, with 25 percent being granted to the company and the remaining 15 percent to the worker.
With this new measure, “companies that have resumed their activity and have the possibility to enrol some of their workers in training initiatives may benefit from this this support measure," explained the President of the Government.
At the meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada and the Specialised Tourism Commission, Vasco Cordeiro also stated that are ongoing works to improve passenger reception conditions at Ponta Delgada Airport, which are expected to be completed by mid-September.
“This was a meeting that allowed an important and very useful exchange of views regarding the situation that we are going through, namely future prospects but, above all, the current pandemic context and the way this sector, in particular, is facing this period,” said the President of the Government.