The National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) and the Airlines Association are objecting to Department of Taxes’ (DGII) plans to unify the charge of the tourist card and departure tax.
The measure would mainly affect residents in the Dominican Republic who do not pay the tourist card charge of US$10.
The DGII is proposing that the Executive Branch prepare a bill establishing the elimination of the US$10 tourist card, replacing it with a US$30 departure charge at maritime and air ports. The charge would be applied across the board to nationals, foreign residents and tourists, as reported in Hoy.
Tourism sector representatives say the measure will negatively affect travel flows.
Arturo Villanueva says that the DGII came up with the proposal after the Civil Aviation Board sent a note expressing concern about the long queues of tourists at Las Americas and Punta Cana airports for the purchase of the tourist cards when several flights arrived at the same time. Villanueva said that a meeting is planned with DGII director Guarocuya Felix and President Medina’s legal advisor Cesar Pina Toribio to find a better solution.
Villanueva says: “ideally, the airlines could collect the US$10 tourist card charge from foreign tourists when they purchase their flights as they do when they collect the US$20 departure tax.”