Hands off our money, says tourism
TAKING £500,000 from tourism's budget to fund a new reciprocal health agreement with the UK would be a 'travesty' and reverse all the hard work put in to create growth, industry professionals have warned.
The agreement ended in 2009, meaning tourists need health insurance if they are not to face medical bills if they fall ill in Guernsey.
Deputy Jan Kuttelwascher has put forward a requete that would see the money diverted from tourism's budget to fund a new one.
Chamber of Commerce hospitality and tourism subgroup head Luke Wheadon said the idea of taking such a chunk of the budget was unthinkable and stood to reverse gains made in recent years.
'We have developed between government and industry a 10-year plan and we have started to see growth in the last two years for the first time in a very long time.
'To take 25% of the budget will really damage that and play against growth, it cannot be allowed to happen,' he said.
