Tuesday 20 April 2010

I Fancy Dubrovnik, What About You?



The man on the left is Antonio Tajani, the European Union commissioner for enterprise and industry.

He's my pal, or I thought he was until I had a chat with a friend. More about that later.

Owing to Mr Tajani efforts, Brussels has declared that tourism is a human right and pensioners, youths and those too poor to afford it should have their travel subsidised by the taxpayer.

Under the scheme, British pensioners could be given cut-price trips to Spain, while Greek teenagers could be taken around disused mills in Manchester to experience the cultural diversity of Europe.

In the initial phase, northern Europeans will be encouraged to visit southern Europe and vice versa. Details of how participants are chosen have not yet been finalised, but it is expected the EU will subsidise about 30% of the cost.

The idea is based on a project in Spain in which holidays in the winter off-season are subsidised by the government for European residents aged 55 and over. Spain calculated that for every €1 it spent in subsidies, €1.6 was gained for its resorts.

When I mentioned to a friend I was writing this post, he said the idea wasn't new. It had been policy in Hitler's government. He was right and I thank him for his tireless efforts to keep me motivated (you know who you are).

I'll quote a wee bit from one document although there are others.

Strength through Joy

The Strength through Joy organisation was set up to encourage workers to work as hard

as they could for Germany and the Nazis. The offer of cheap holidays and a car were

good ways to win the support of the average person in the street. A cruise to the Canary

Islands cost 62 marks - easily affordable to many, though most cruises were taken up by

Nazi Party officials. Walking and skiing holidays in the Bavarian Alps cost 28 marks. A

two-week tour of Italy cost 155 marks. Ley ordered the building of two new cruise-liners

that were used to take German workers on foreign holidays. In 1938 an estimated

180,000 people went on cruises to places such as Madeira and the Norwegian fjords.

Others were given free holidays in Germany. The Strength through Joy programme also

built sports facilities, paid for theatre visits and financially supported travelling cabaret

groups. Although the German worker paid for these benefits through compulsory

deductions, the image of people being given holidays and subsidized entertainment was

of great propaganda value to the Nazi government.


Another wonderful benefit of the European Union.

Here's another one for you - courtesy of the Westminster government.

17 comments:

Quiet_Man said...

I blogged about this the other day, as far as I'm concerned unless you're working and/or can afford it then taking a holiday abroad is not a human right. Nor am I happy about my taxes being used to subsidise it.

Joe Public said...

I think the key phrase is ".....to encourage workers to work ..."

So they had the right idea then, its a 'carrot' incentive.

Conan the Librarian™ said...

I misunderstood your headline Rosa.

I thought one of those guys was called Dubrovnik...

Sue said...

This is so typically EU Socialism. If you're not working, you don't go on holiday. We had to spend 2 or 3 years saving when I was a kid sometimes just to go to bloody Butlins.

The sooner we are out, the better off we will all be!

Politicians are rarely sexy, just fat! Slightly too much jowl on Tajani for my liking and he hair is just too poncy.

I'm more of a Bruce Willis kinda gal :)

Sue said...

I thought you meant the blokes name was Dubrovnik too, duh me!.

No, I don't fancy Dubrovnik, but Transylvania sounds spookily interesting.

hatfield girl said...

Mussolini had 'colonia's some are still there all along the Tyrrhenian coast. Right on the beach. Some just for children some for families. Same idea - Third Way, benevolent technocratic and political elites governance and on to the sunlit uplands of trans-class organic community and beneficial administration. With free holiday rights.

Demetrius said...

There are also "hidden" benefits. To extract money from tourists the public loo's on the Embankment in London went to 50p from free. Many now use the shrubberies and flower beds. The roses are coming up lovely this year.

McGonagall said...

It's a great idea and I'm all for it. Amsterdam here I come.

subrosa said...

Hi QM, sorry I missed your post.

My concern is that it's particularly near the German government of the 40s and, like you, my tax would pay for it.

Somehow I wouldn't be eligible for it. I never am.

subrosa said...

Aye, like Germany in the 40s Joe.

subrosa said...

Ooops, sorry Conan. Seems my headline was misleading.

subrosa said...

Think I'll stick with somewhere like Ayr for my holidays Sue. Sounds slightly less interesting, but at least I'll be able to get home without needing the help of the navy or anyone else.

subrosa said...

Well noted HG. I saw that reference too.

When will people realise what's happening in the EU?

subrosa said...

We've paid for years here Demetrius. Like London it went from free to paid (but no 50p).

Now most public toilets are closed - nobody uses them.

subrosa said...

You'll have to sign up to the party though scunnert. Just so as they can keep an eye that you're ok when you're away enjoying yourself like - nothing sinister. ;)

Hammer said...

Motorways and the jet engine were inventions of the Nazi state as well.

subrosa said...

Yes of course they were Hammer.

Dundee was the first city in UK to have a ring road. It's still there today and now dual carriageway. The Kingsway. That dates it doesn't it?

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