Chamber slams scrapping of ‘nature pass’
Photo: Kristinn Ingvarsson
The Iceland Chamber of Commerce has expressed its disappointment at the government’s decision to abandon plans for a ‘nature pass’. It considers charging for entrance to tourist sites to be the best way of funding the development of tourism in Iceland.
“Such fees will be paid by those actually benefiting from the development of tourist sites. Charging for access could also reduce crowds at the most popular tourist destinations and encourage the sector to set up new destinations. Direct funding from the State will not achieve any of these objectives,” reads a Chamber of Commerce statement.
Costs borne by tax-payer
The statement indicates that, instead of a ‘nature pass’, the plan is now to fund the development and maintenance of tourist sites from State coffers.
“It is clear that the cost of higher visitor numbers will be borne by the tax-payer instead of those actually benefiting from these attractions. This will inevitably lead to higher charges and cutbacks in other areas,” the statement continues.
Support for a ‘nature pass’
Although the Chamber of Commerce had some criticism of the nature pass as set out in the relevant parliamentary bill, it stresses that it did on the whole support the initiative.
“The bill as it currently stands is a first step towards a more developed system able to achieve the stated environment objectives while increasing productivity and creating added value, without increasing the burden on tax-payers,” the Chamber of Commerce considers.
“The Iceland Chamber of Commerce hopes that the government will reconsider its position and implement a market-targeted solution, rather than having recourse to direct State contributions with the concomitant increase in the overall tax burden. This is the only way of building a framework for the permanent sustainable development of tourist sites.”
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