A skillful operation in a context of budgetary scarcity

A new deal outlines social tourism and the reform project of the cheque-holidays, which are working on the public authorities, will be a central element. This project, whose outline came to be formalized by Hervé Novelli, Secretary of State for tourism, should be accompanied by the strengthening of the role of the National Agency for the cheques - Vacances (ANCV), the public and commercial establishment has a monopoly of the show since 1982.

In continuity with its predecessor, Luc Chatel, Hervé Novelli therefore addressed the nagging problem of weak scattering of cheque-holidays with the employees of small businesses. Because, if three million people benefit, about 1 of them only work in companies with less than 50 employees. To remedy this situation, even though the debate on the purchasing power of French swing full and that their departure on holiday rate stagnates more than a third of them do not leave , Hervé Novelli has finally opted for a change smoothly.

Enlargement to the TPE

The reform, which will be one of the components of the Bill to come on tourism the text will be also the hotel classification and travel agencies , focuses on technical barriers to the dissemination of the cheque-holidays in the TPE: requirement of a tax of reference income; need for industry agreements; Finally, duty of saving in the business.

In parallel, the focus is on the optimization of the distribution, the ANCV being invited to forge new partnerships with third-party operators, which means to offer more attractive conditions. For at the outset, Accor is "candidate for distribution", while calling for "a broader openness." Group check lunch is also therefore but wants a "simple system". Another heavyweight titles and maps services, Sodexo, "interested", "expects the terms of the device to decide."

In the State, Hervé Novelli project is far from radical option and old serpent sea to put in question the monopoly of the ANCV. If the distribution should be expanded to the Eftpos terminal, the Agency will retain its monopoly of issuance of cheques and their marketing companies more of 50 employees, business, and the State committees. If evolution corresponds to the recommendations of its Director General, Philippe Kaspi, the latter however is a beautiful challenge. The Agency is indeed designed to wear, by 2010, to 500,000 the number of beneficiaries of the cheque-holidays in enterprises of fewer than 50 employees.

Corollary to the reform: by issuing more cheques, the ANCV will more means to devote to the funding of its shares in social tourism: AIDS to the associations for the departures of the disadvantaged, investment in equipment support... A skillful operation in a context of budgetary scarcity. For memory, management surplus devoted to his second mission amounted to EUR 17 million in 2007.

Finally, a reflection is underway on the emergence of new programs, the idea of better tool "the holiday" in social policy. This subject will be at the heart of the consensus desired by Hervé Novelli with the actors of social tourism. In parallel, the preparation of the tourism bill advances: the text should be presented by the Council of Ministers by the end of the year and be sealed off in early 2009.