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I just heard on the radio, that Jamaica's ministry of finance announced a tourism tax package. Which includes a $20.00 per ticket fee on arriving visitors and a daily hotel room tax
of anywhere between $2.00 and I think it said $4.00 depending on the size of the hotel. I thought they just raised some kind of tax a few years ago on airfare to Jamaica. Has anyone
else heard of any talk about this? Many other places in the Caribbean much cheaper to travel to, hope this doesn't hurt Jamaica.
Don't we already pay room tax?
Yes, I believe it's something like 20% already, this new thing must be an additonal tax per day?
yes that has been circulating for a fews days now on the news.........dunno about dat $20 bucks......
ugh for us travelers...........good for Jamaica at the outset........dunno about long term
Cool Runnings, Marko
Marko- You are right, thats how the world goes round. AI's will be writing a big check to the government, were the Mom& Pop resorts might get hurt as they are already competing with the AI's as it is. I'd rather had my $4.00 that extra to the maid.
I've prepaid my hotel (including taxes) for November and bought my airline tickets last week. Wonder if that means I get out of paying the new taxes, or if I'll encounter extra fees at the airport and hotel? My airline ticket includes any existing taxes/fees, so that I wouldn't be paying anything upon arrival....except maybe this....
Yeah, this is going to hurt. for our family of four another $80. the thing that kills me is in reading the budget reports I saw nothing about controlling costs. Bad thing is this is mostly to pay debt. The $20 was not there originally, it was negotiated by the hotel industry to lower the per room tax and push it off to the tourists directly. This really saved the large resorts as the original tax was progressive based on number of units.
Not sure how much more can be charged before other options start looking more attractive to tourists.
We look to go to either Jamaica or the Yucatan, whichever has the cheapest airfare at the time. This basicly just adds to our fixed cost and could actually push us to the Yucatan.
Regards,
Bob
May or may not agree with it but it won't keep me from coming back.
I'm with you on this N5. Just means I'll have one less fancy dinner and a little more walking, less taxi rides. $20 extra is still a small price to pay for what I get while there.
unless you are really living on the cheap ( tent or 10 dollar rooms ).....40 a couple is just one less dinner at a table (buy jerk to go)..or a few mixed drinks.............think of it as a ride at Disney World....cheap charge for the adventure of Jamaica..........
were else could the Government go to garner more revenue ????....certainly not the poor citizens...they pay their extra due every time a hurricane hits..........
Rambo, I totally agree. Wish it went for the citizens, lower electrical rates, education, roads, cleaner rivers, etc. But it is probably is to pay the interest on loans owed to other countries. Nothing wrong with wanting to improve on the countries debt. Love Jamaica and don't mind in the least.
This could have been a lot worse. The original proposal was calling for $4-12 per night room tax depending on how big the hotel is, and a increase to 16% on the tax paid for electricity use (which is now @ 10%). Members of Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA) were able to settle on the following:
$20 Entrance Tax....rolled into your airline ticket just as your $47 departure already is.
A $1-4 per night room tax
A Tax on Airport Transfers Reimbursement
A Tax on Over-Proof Rum
No increase on the electricity tax.
Fallout has already begun as SuperClubs has announced they are going to discontinue free airport shuttles to and from their Breezes and Hedonism Reports (But will cover the new room tax). Will be interesting to see if Sandals and Couples follow suit.
Tax is just a small thing. What I find disappointing in the air fare increase. Last year I went home 4 times. Average air with taxes from MCO was 265 round trip. This year it's over 450!
Miss G and I are forgoing our summer trip as it will be better to just send that money to the family. I wonder what affect these increases will have on the low budget traveler.
the price increases have taken us from twice a year, to whenever we can afford it, after traveling there since 1984............
as long as new people take the place of people who cant afford it, no problem, when they stop filling in...Look Out!
we went to Grand Bahama Island for years until they overpriced themselves almost into a major lack of tourist.....everything
has a max value,trick is to get the most, without losing customers......the economy is forcing a deeper cut each year....
I agree with your comments, but still .... budget traveller or not, we are still travellers, and get considerable joy and pleasure out of Jamaica. And we go there to a foreign paradise, which is far more than most of our Jamaican friends get to do. I don't recall who said "one less fancy dinner". Well worth it. No big deal. So, it's going to the debt and not into the pockets or benefit directly to Jamaicans; it means that our Jamaican friends won't be taxed higher. We live in rich countries and travel to poorer ones like Jamaica. $20 a trip doesn't seem a big price to pay. Again, they could have gone after another % or 3 off the pay cheques of Jamaicans. While the taxes may increase to the point some of us go every 6 instead of every 3 months; or 9 instead of 6 ... consider how very blessed and lucky we are to do tht in the first place. Maybe they will increase them to the point that they will be priced out of my budget ... who knows. I will happily pay the price and thank God that I can go in the first place. Giving a little back, even if governmentally enforced, is part of the deal.
But then, I'm Canadian, and aside from weather griping, tax griping is our favorite passtime.
I don't feel done in by this, but happy to pay it and save some very dear friends from having a few dollars less on their paycheques. By Jamaica standards, we are all very very rich - this is not so unreasonable! There is a price for everything, even joy!
As affordable as Jamaica is, if you look at the value of the place, this is really no big deal. And as others have said, it's nice to see that the local folks are not taking the burden on this one. If you know of a place that offers the value that Jamaica does, has the kindness of the Jamaican people, allows you to drink the water, speaks English, and is as beautiful as Jamaica, please let me know. I just might go there in about 20-30 years when Jamaica gets old.