You cannot have a garden café or a small shop in the garage..
Tourism creates jobs, strengthens the local economy, contributes to local infrastructure development and can help to conserve the natural environment and cultural assets and traditions.
Yesterday was a tough day in many ways. For sure my sick hubby topped the charts but talking to him this morning he sounded just like normal - fingers crossed! Another tough case was the message I got back from our local government.
We live on the foot of national park. A touristic spot ‘extra ordinaire’, and something out local government want to take advantage off [let’s raise the taxes for tourism].
Catch 22
Thing is, there is like nothing to do in our village. Emphasis on nothing. We do have a few wanna bee pubs, and restaurants. Most of them with both questionable opening hours, as well as questionable service levels in regards to food.
Which ironically make us having our special hang out in our neighbouring village. A place where we can find classy food and service for a reasonable price. Unless one does what your truly did last night and go all in on a drinking spree [I believe I kind of deserved it] with the woman next door..
Anyhow, living in this touristic area, supported by this local government and starting up a B&B have been a long process.
We waited months for our permit to even be allowed to run a a B&B. But the license is in so that is no longer a problem. Now the problem is I dream of open a small vintage shop. The kind where I for one can sell all the beautiful things I picked up in my family summerhouse late summer. But also where I can sell smaller furniture pieces that one way or the other have been up cycled.
So I send a mail to my contact at the local government who digs into my questions. The response from him, read his colleague, were loud and clear.
It is a residential area and no such permits will ever be handed out. But, we do have a lot of commercial property in our villages where one can start up a business.
Come again what? All former shops and restaurants have either been torn down or gone from commercial properties into residential ditos. There is nothing to rent for a small starter that actually would want to start up something which could lead into a bigger flow of visitors into the village.
So how is anybody ever gonna succeed? The only thing I can do is either give up on the dream, or offer my stuff in an online store.
A total catch 22 not only for me but also for others who have dreams and ideas of starting or develop small businesses. Businesses of the kind that could influence more people to come visit our region, and by doing so also contribute to our local government by paying the now raised tourist tax.
Maybe I should just head into local politics..
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