> Warren Flint wrote:
> E5unltd@aol.com > "Sustainability Review"
________________________________________
______________________________
>
> SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW
> Issue 2 -- September 20, 1999
....
> 4. CHALLENGE CORNER: Eco-Tax on Tourism
>
> One of Spain's major tourist destinations, the island of Minorca, is
> to become the first place in Europe to experiment with an eco-tax on
> tourism. The tax is expected to alleviate the effects of mass tourism
> on the environment. The dedicated revenue will be earmarked for the
> maintenance of national parks and the restoration of damaged
> coastlines.
>
> Tourism is the world's largest generator of jobs. Eco-tourism is a
> high growth area within tourism and a new platform for enhancing the
> competitive strength of regions as international destinations.
> Because of its implied reliance on good quality environments, eco-
> tourism has even been considered by worldwide organizations as the
> industry that will lead the world into sustainable development.
>
> Similar to Spain's strategy, to enhance sustainable economic
> development and lessen poverty in the two depressed counties of
> Virginia's (USA) Eastern Shore, a dedicated source of revenue from a
> value-added tax (VAT) on all non-essential goods and services
> generated from nature-based business activities has been quietly
> talked about. An analogy to this kind of taxing idea is readily found
> in most major urban areas that have implemented a "occupancy tax" for
> support of community development initiatives.
>
> A VAT on the consumption of nature-based business goods and services,
> exempting those consumer items and activities most sought by low-
> income populations, could be used to finance the transition of a
> region's neediest to a better quality of life and in-turn a more
> amenable setting to further enhance economic development in the
> region. By imposing a targeted, value-added tax used exclusively to
> build infrastructure and finance other community development actions
> that improve the lives of disproportionately impacted populations, a
> closed loop is created between the market economy, the importance of
> good quality environmental resources, and low-income populations.
> Thus, the nexus of sustainable development and equity.
>
> The CHALLENGE to your imaginations and creative juices: WHAT's THE
> UPSIDE AND DOWNSIDE OF THIS KIND OF TAXING STRUCTURE, especially with
> respect to sustainable development initiatives? Send your ideas and
> comments to E5unltd@aol.com for inclusion in future issues of
> "Sustainability Review"
-- ******************************************************************** Yacine Khelladi <yacine@aacr.net> Research Coordinator Kiskeya Alternative Destination Project http://kiskeya-alternative.org tel: 1-809-537 89 77 (voicemail) Fax: 1-809-221 42 19 Fax to email gateway: 1-209-882-6121 (USA) P.O.Box 109-Z Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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