# Killing the tourist industry



## sharky (Feb 10, 2011)

I see the Gestapo are at it again on the Algarve. Going to really help the Tourist industry especially as it is now reported in the British press.
Police arrest 27 British and Irish bingo players at Albufeira pub - The Portugal News
EXCLUSIVE: Brits arrested in Portugal for playing bingo for prize biscuits | The Sun |News

:clap2:


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

sharky said:


> I see the Gestapo are at it again on the Algarve. Going to really help the Tourist industry especially as it is now reported in the British press.
> Police arrest 27 British and Irish bingo players at Albufeira pub - The Portugal News
> EXCLUSIVE: Brits arrested in Portugal for playing bingo for prize biscuits | The Sun |News
> 
> :clap2:


Well that really takes the biscuit. 

To think that folk are moving out of Spain into Portugal to get away from the ever increasing pile of bureaucratic bullsh!t over there, only to come across something as ridiculous and futile as this.

We can only assume that Portugal is otherwise totally crime free if their highly trained undercover special agents have little else to do but this.


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

A bit crackers  But like it or not it is illegal in Portugal. Should guests/visitors in a country not be required to follow the rules of the country ? And as always there will be a bit more to it than covered in the press.


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

MrBife said:


> A bit crackers  But like it or not it is illegal in Portugal. Should guests/visitors in a country not be required to follow the rules of the country ? And as always there will be a bit more to it than covered in the press.


The locals do it all the time in both Spain and Portugal playing different games with peanuts, counters or whatever is to hand, then settling their dues with euros at the end of the sessions.

They're gambling and it's no different really, but apparently quite acceptable. 

Yet another case of double standards so it seems.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

sharky said:


> I see the Gestapo are at it again on the Algarve. Going to really help the Tourist industry especially as it is now reported in the British press.
> Police arrest 27 British and Irish bingo players at Albufeira pub - The Portugal News
> EXCLUSIVE: Brits arrested in Portugal for playing bingo for prize biscuits | The Sun |News
> 
> :clap2:


Don't see what you are complaining about. Far too many expats think they can go to another country and ignore the local laws when they would be among the first to complain if foreigners cam to the UK or wherever and did the same.


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

So it's quite alright for the locals and police to ignore their own laws because they are only applied to foreigners.
Right, I've got it now.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

littleredrooster said:


> So it's quite alright for the locals and police to ignore their own laws because they are only applied to foreigners.
> Right, I've got it now.


Well, it is *their* country!


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## anapedrosa (Mar 21, 2011)

littleredrooster said:


> So it's quite alright for the locals and police to ignore their own laws because they are only applied to foreigners.
> Right, I've got it now.


No, of course it's not, but two wrongs don't make a right.


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> Well, it is *their* country!


Well if they continue with that attitude they'll soon be well on the way to having THEIR country all to themselves and a fat lot of good it will be to them then, considering the mess they're already in..


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## lynda s (Mar 31, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> Don't see what you are complaining about. Far too many expats think they can go to another country and ignore the local laws when they would be among the first to complain if foreigners cam to the UK or wherever and did the same.


I agree with baldilocks, it is their country. Anyway, why play bingo on holiday? get out there and see a bit of this beautiful country, don't complain about the rules of the country you are visiting, or intending to live in.


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## anapedrosa (Mar 21, 2011)

I have now read and listened to the news reports. While I believe that the law needs to be respected, I can see the concern with the way that the GNR enforced the law. As a personal viewpoint, I think fining the owners and warning the customers would have been more appropriate. This type of heavy handed approach is not unique to Portugal, certainly in Canada we have instances where the police have been over, hmm, 'enthusiastic' in their application of the law. In my mind a business owner needs to takes responsibility of running their business in accordance with the laws, as a patron it's reasonable to expect a licensed establishment not to invite patrons to break the law. 
The question with the GNR, I believe, is one of accountability, what recourse do the public have to protest behaviour and how do the GNR address systemic problems. That's something I'd like to understand. 
I doubt this will 'kill' the tourist industry, but it certainly doesn't seem a good way to treat visitors.


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## grandwazoo (Apr 12, 2011)

As a further point, re visitors obeying the laws of the country they're visiting; I guess it's illegal to sell alcohol without a license, but do you ask to see the license of every bar you visit? There must be many other situations where you take for granted that establishments you visit are behaving legally - fire regulations in hotels, hygiene certificates in restaurants, vehicle inspections for hire cars etc. Is the tourist the criminal here, or the victim?


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## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

*Another nail in the coffin?*

So Aveiro have taken another step into the abyss with the introduction of a Tourist Tax to be applied to accommodation and attractions. The accommodation rate is to vary between 35 cents and €1 with the bed tax for hotels being set at €1 per stay of a maximum of 3 nights. Operators of any tourist attractions including the very popular river boats are obliged to charge €1 per person. All proceeds to the camara and after that who knows where?

This came into force on 13 May but is back in the news as the hoteliers are refusing to collect the tax and are trying to fight it in the courts.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

JohnBoy said:


> So Aveiro have taken another step into the abyss with the introduction of a Tourist Tax to be applied to accommodation and attractions. The accommodation rate is to vary between 35 cents and €1 with the bed tax for hotels being set at €1 per stay of a maximum of 3 nights. Operators of any tourist attractions including the very popular river boats are obliged to charge €1 per person. All proceeds to the camara and after that who knows where?
> 
> This came into force on 13 May but is back in the news as the hoteliers are refusing to collect the tax and are trying to fight it in the courts.


Tourist tax is very common in many countries and helps to pay for all extra the pressure placed on the infrastructure by tourists - increased litter is one case in point. Local residents who don't benefit say "why should we pay to clear up after the tourists?"

I come from Southend-on-Sea and every year the cost of things like the illuminations, clearing up after the tourists go home, etc is borne by the residents. The only ones making any profit out of the tourists are the seafront traders but the residents are the ones who bear the costs.


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## grandwazoo (Apr 12, 2011)

So how many residents of Southend-on-Sea make their living from tourism? How many in Aveiro? In the end its down to the locals, but it sounds like a short-term profit/long-term deathwish to me...
Been there, unlikely to return.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

grandwazoo said:


> So how many residents of Southend-on-Sea make their living from tourism? How many in Aveiro? In the end its down to the locals, but it sounds like a short-term profit/long-term deathwish to me...
> Been there, unlikely to return.


Very few, since even the street cleaning is out to private companies paid for by the council. The start of the local authority dirty tricks was in Southend by MT's blue-eyed boys.


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## anapedrosa (Mar 21, 2011)

On my last visit to New York city, the hotel bill had a list of special taxes and surcharges. I'm not sure if it's the best way to finance the extra city costs associated with tourism, but I imagine that municipalities need to find a way to fund what they do not have money to pay for. As a sideline - I doubt this has any impact on NY tourism industry.


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## sharky (Feb 10, 2011)

this is good


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## sharky (Feb 10, 2011)

this about sums it up


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