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ParkWord September 2013
For several years now the British Association of Amusement Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA) has been campaigning for a cut in the rate of value added tax (VAT) on admissions income. It is, the association claims, unfair that its members must pay 20% – the same rate as VAT on most other goods and services – when industry counterparts elsewhere in Europe, including France, benefit from discounted rates. This year, however, the French government increased the rate of TVA
(Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée) for hospitality, ticketing and catering businesses from 5.5% to 7% and there is talk of a further increase next year to 10%. French trade association SNELAC is campaigning for a reduction to the new lower rate of 5%. The general TVA rate in the country, incidentally, is 19.6%, with a proposed increase in 2014 to 20%. In Spain, theme parks and attractions have had to adjust to a huge hike imposed last September from 8% to 21%. While many venues put up their admission price this season to compensate, some larger operations such as PortAventura have decided to absorb the increase. For now.
There is a glimmer of hope, however, from the Republic of Ireland, where fairgrounds and amusement parks have been charged a reduced 9% rate of VAT, the same as that currently enjoyed by attractions in Belgium and the Netherlands, since 2011. Yet still rates vary widely across Europe. BALPPA, and others, argue that a cut in VAT would allow attractions to lower admission prices, stimulating greater attendance and in turn triggering more investment, jobs and – paradoxically – more tax. In a recent radio interview, Prime Minister David Cameron said he didn’t see why tourism was any more deserving of a tax cut than any other industry. Meanwhile the European Commission is currently investigating tax rates across the European Union and recommends the “Abolition of those reduced rates which constitute an obstacle to the proper functioning of the internal market”. Watch this space.
Owen Ralph – Editor
Editor Owen Ralph (+44 161 438 2934)
parkworld@btopenworld.com
North American Editor Contributors this issue
Paul Ruben (+1 585 381 1012)
parkw@rochester.rr.com
Anthony Goret, Gary Kyriazi
Sales Manager Mark Burgess (+44 1622 699124)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
Publishing Director Paul Ryder
pryder@datateam.co.uk Data Development Manager Alex Wetton
awetton@datateam.co.uk Managing Director Parvez Kayani
p.kayani@datateam.co.uk Publication Secretary
SEPTEMBER 2013 ISSN 1462-4796
Jennifer York (+44 1622 699109)
parkworld@datateam.co.uk
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