Updated 11/05 with Chamber statement
Tourism operators will be forced to absorb the costs of an eco tax unless it is postponed until after the summer, the Malta Chamber of Commerce has said.
The Chamber has insisted that operators need until 1 November to inform overseas stakeholders of the tax and allow them to factor it into its winter season contracts.
In a statement, the Chamber slammed the government for its limited consultation on the issue. "Feedback was restricted to one association which is not representative of the tourism industry," it said.
The 50c nightly eco levy announced in the last Budget was meant to come into effect in April, but was postponed after a lack of agreement with operators, particularly with the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, on how its collection will be done.
Last March, Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association president Tony Zahra told Times of Malta that despite multiple meetings with the government, there was no agreement on how the tax would be collected.
The tax would add an administrative burden to operators, with the short period of time given them to adapt adding to their woes, the Chamber argued.
"1st April was impossible for this, and 1st June is no better; anything before 1st November will mean that operators will very likely have to absorb this tax themselves."
"The Chamber strongly recommends to Government to reconsider its position on the matter."
Collecting the tax is up to accomodation providers - Tourism Ministry
In a reply, the Tourism Ministry noted that it would be up to hotels, guesthouses and other accommodation providers to collect the tax. "This is why talks were held with the MHRA," it said.
It added that operators would receive a 15 per cent refund on all contributions made between June and October to help iron out any teething problems, and reminded the Chamber that the two parties had discussed the tax at a meeting two weeks ago.
But in a reply issued on Wednesday, the Chamber said that the government was not taking its concerns seriously.
"The implementation of the tax is seriously flawed," it said, adding that it would be elaborating "at the opportune time".