Entrance Tax to BONAIRE ISLAND

Just when we thought recovery from the health crisis could begin, we are hit with record high prices in every aspect of our lives. This applies too to the tourism sector. Post pandemic, demand for holidays and flights is strong, but with megahigh fuel prices, costs are rising, but that seems to have little effect on demand for that treasured vacation!

With airlines launching new routes to destinations and resumed flights to previous destinations, across the world demand is returning.

Despite world inflation seen in food, restaurants, hotels, goods and services; leisure and work passengers, tourism plans are going ahead, maybe for not as long as before, but the need to get away is strong.

This holiday period in high inflation, will no doubt create new tourism trends amongst travellers and see new habits and thus the industry will adapt to as it has always done. The value for money aspect will be key for people when making decisions about vacations.

When travelling today, the concern has nothing to do with the pandemic, it is now regarding inflation.

MACHU PICCHU BOOSTS ECONOMIC RECOVERY OF PERU

To help boost the Peruvian economy and tourism sector, authorities have increased by a third the capacity of visitors allowed to the archaeological Machu Picchu ruins.

The sites capacity has been upped from 3,044 to 4,044 people. Before the pandemic, some 4,100 visitors entered daily. This new measure will be until 31 December when a review will take place.

In 2021, just 447,800 people visited the ancient site, way below the 1.5 million it welcomed in 2019. In the first half of 2022, some 400,000 tourists have visited the place.

ENTRANCE TAX TO BONAIRE ISLAND

The island of Bonaire, located in the south Caribbean Sea and belongs to the Dutch government, has, from 1st July 2022 introduced an island entrance tax for all non-resident visitors. The new fee will replace the current room and car tax.

The new tax is UK£64 per visit, and will go to support the island's infrastructure, tourism product, environmental efforts and education.

This is one of many new tourism taxes that will be implemented soon around the world.

In 2023 European countries and members of the Schengen area will each introduce an entry tax. The

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) programme will be implemented in May 2023. The scheme is similar to the USA ESTA, which charges visitors a processing fee and an authorisation fee entering the US from visa-exempt nations.

The European Union system applies to travellers from countries that currently have visa-free access to the region, which also includes the United States. The programme will register, pre-screen and monitor foreign visitors and will cost approximately UK£6.30. Applying is online with approval in minutes and will be valid for unlimited entry over a 3 years period.