SuperClubs chairman John Issa is estimating that the cruise ship industry owes Jamaica more than US$12 million in head tax, while land-based tourists are being burdened with fees tacked on to their airline tickets.
According to Issa, cruise-ship passengers are required to pay US$2 head tax per person, but “not one cent has been collected, yet we have been piling tax on our land-based visitors for giving them the privilege of spending their hard-earned money in Jamaica.
“While the TEF has not collected this amount, the board has the audacity to propose the additional head tax on the stopover tourist,” he added.
His comments come days after the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) Board voted to increase the tax on airline tickets for incoming passengers by 100 per cent. Currently, visitors to the island pay US$10 per person.
