The Government of the Community of Madrid defends “giving freedom to traders, including hospitality, so that they can adapt their schedules to the needs” of tourists. The spokesperson for the regional executive, Miguel Ángel García Martín, defended this Wednesday after the Governing Council that restaurants and bars “may have to adapt” their schedules to the “needs” of people who visit the Community.
The president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, already announced on Tuesday that her government team “is in talks with the hotel sector to extend the service hours of these establishments and thus also be able to adapt them to the habits of international tourists,” she said. assured. the Community of Madrid in a press release.
Ayuso defended his proposal during the presentation of the activities organized to mark the recognition of Madrid, European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2024/2025. The president justified this decision and assured that often, when “the Spaniards” when they travel “a little” outside of Spain, they do not care, they do not eat or dine. “We understand that we must also adapt to those who honor us with their visit and trust us,” he assured.
Sources from the Regional Executive, cited by Europa Press, specified that they are working with the sector “with the aim of promoting the freedom to offer more teams and that establishments located in more tourist areas can adapt to the schedules of international tourists who eat and dine earlier than the Spanish (between noon and 1 p.m. for lunch and between 6 and 7 p.m. for dinner “It is not a question of opening or closing earlier or). to impose any schedules, but rather, within the framework of freedom of schedules, to respect the habits of international tourists in the region”, underlined the regional government.
They urge the government to indicate whether it will extend transport assistance
This measure by the Ayuso government comes up against neighborhood mobilizations that reject mass tourism and, consequently, speculation on real estate prices. Indeed, on October 13, around thirty groups called for demonstrations to protest against “unsustainable” rent increases.
This Wednesday, after the Government Council was held, the Executive of Ayuso also requested that the Central Government accelerate its official communication on the extension of aid to public transport currently in force, which consists of free Cercanías tickets and Media Distance.
“Unfortunately, we are in the month of October and the minister (Óscar Puente) has not yet informed the autonomous communities, that we have powers in matters of transport, what will happen with the prices of l subscription and, therefore, if this will “extend this reduction which had taken place in previous years, or if, on the contrary, it will be eliminated and we will not benefit from this bonus”, indicated the spokesperson .
