BENIDORM – Several NGOs are proposing that hotels in Benidorm, which are empty due to the low season, accommodate migrants from the Canary Islands. The asylum reception there is under great pressure.
Migrants arrive every day. In response to the NGOs’ proposal, the Hosbec hotel association in Valencia has denounced public-private “discoordination”. The proposals to accommodate migrants in hotels have not been communicated through the central government. This causes confusion and uncertainty among hoteliers.
“Stunned” reactions
“Over the past 72 hours, several hoteliers in the Valencian Community have reacted with dismay,” Hosbec said in a statement. This was after external organisations contacted them and proposed to receive refugees. This would be done through contracted accommodation with fully flexible economic and service conditions adapted to the needs of each accommodation, Hosbec said in the statement.
Lack of local coordination
Hosbec criticises the lack of coordination with regional and local authorities in the destinations where the shelter has been proposed. The organisation regrets the inability to properly coordinate this care. Hosbec has already made attempts to contact the NGOs responsible for managing the housing and accommodation.
Refusal in Benidorm
In Benidorm specifically, Hosbec is not aware of any hotels that have accepted the conditions for the reception of refugees. However, they are aware that in other tourist destinations in the Valencian Community, migrants have already been accommodated in certain hotels or will be accommodated in the coming days.
Dedication and responsibility
The hotel association emphasises that the sector is “committed and alert to responding to emergencies such as those occurring now”. Nevertheless, the requirement is that refugee reception policies be implemented. Furthermore, this must be with prior planning and coordination between the public and private sectors in cities and tourist destinations. The “best conditions” must be created in the “reception and prospects for future actions”.
Sidelined and uninformed
The representatives of the Valencian hoteliers claim that they have not been involved by the government in setting up an information channel. “Never before, in any crisis we have faced, have we felt so sidelined and uninformed by the central government,” they complain. Nevertheless, they indicate that they remain “fully available to official authorities” to continue to demonstrate the important role of solidarity and commitment of the tourism sector in the region.
Also read: Alarm sounds in the Canary Islands: Migrant shelters almost exhausted
