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The economy informal, scourge of the tourism sector

Fighting the informal : towards an improvement in the provision of tourist services. Thousands of people survive on informal trade. In view of its social dimension, the authorities are avoiding tackling this problem head-on. In recent years, the trend is reversing : informal activities are no longer the preserve of socially disadvantaged people. Structures with substantial resources have invested in this niche and provide, completely illegally, services covering the entire tourism value chain : accommodation, Transport, excursions… Unfair competition from the informal sector has harmful and profound effects on the interests of professionals and on the reputation of the destination.

In the tourism sector, By informal hotel activities we mean all forms accommodation not holding authorizations issued by the ministry, (Hotels, studios, apartments and villas rented by the day, guest houses unclassified…). In addition to the enormous tax loss recorded by the State, THE security risk remains high, lack of declaration of arrivals by informal settlements. So many transactions that are negotiated individual to individual and which escape the control of the State.

THE tourist catering sector is not left out : the image of restaurateurs are being undermined and the tax differential and hygiene standards with structured establishments remain considerable.

Sanitation

THE good governance and anti-corruption efforts set out in the general policy of the State are materialized by the sanitation of all sectors of the economy and tourism is no exception to this rule. Through a census operation of tourist operators launched in March last, the Ministry of Transport, of Tourism and Meteorology initiated actions to clean up the tourism sector.

The objective of the census is oriented towards the self-declaration of tourist operators from the ministry responsible for tourism.

Fighting the informal : improvement of tourist services. This preliminary work was followed by a comparison of the data obtained with the ministry database., as well as with the offers available on the Internet, especially on online booking sites like Airbnb, Booking or Expedia. The third stage will see the implementation of an action plan consisting of a preventive component and a corrective component. Awareness-raising actions were carried out, in order to popularize the texts governing the profession, but also with the aim of encouraging possible establishments in violation of the law to regularize their situation. Each check is carried out by agents of the Ministry of Tourism, operating in pairs and duly mandated for this purpose.

Tolerance zero

Following a first check, a period of time may be granted to establishments to comply with the texts in force ; failing which, gradation sanctions progressive, ranging from a warning to a temporary closure, even final establishment, can be applied. “Zero tolerance” will be applied against any person attempting to circumvent the sanctions through acts of passive or active corruption.

Fighting the informal : improvement of tourist services. These actions carried out by the ministry will have immediate repercussions on the economy in general, and will encourage economic operators to improve the services provided, in accordance with existing standards. This initiative will have a definite impact on the country’s brand image., and, leaving, will contribute to the influx of attendance on the Grande-Île to reach the milestone of 500 000 tourists within five years.

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