Professionals from the hotel and tourism industry in the Spanish region of Valencia (Costa Blanca and Costa del Azahar) attended a meeting held in Valencia yesterday to analyse the first consequences of the anti-smoking law in Spain. Their conclusion was that the immediate consequences have been very negative for the hotel industry. <\/p>\n
According to figures released to the press after the meeting, revenue in hotel cafes and bars has fallen by 50 percent, as smokers prefer to go and have a coffee or a drink in smaller bars nearby which, because of their size, can allow smoking inside. According to the new anti-tobacco laws in Spain, smoking in small cafes or bars is permitted a long as owners display a notice in the window to this effect. <\/p>\n
Representives from different hotel and tourism associations told the media they were extremely worried about the negative effect the smoking ban was having on profits, and they fear the worse is to come. Ms Montes, the general secretary of one hotel association from Benidorm and the Costa Blanca claimed that it was not at all reasonable of the government to expect hotels to meet the deadline established by the new law to create separate and independent smoking and non-smoking areas in large hotel cafes and restaurants, because to do so hotels would have to carry out reforms during the high season months in July and August. She also expressed the concern of many hotels that most foreign clients had made their hotel reservations over a year ago, when they had no idea of possible smoking restrictions in Spain. Ms Montes said that hotel professionals were worried about how clients would react on arriving at the hotel and finding out that smoking was now forbidden in public areas. <\/p>\n