BonaireTalk Discussion Group
Getting to Bonaire: Gouvernment tax
Bonaire Talk: Getting to Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 1999-06-02 to 2001-12-31: Gouvernment tax
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bartho braat on Monday, February 12, 2001 - 3:11 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I wonder why the gouvernmenttax is so extremely high, that mans for European visitors. In my opinion the tax of $ 5,50 + $ 1,- per person per night will keep visitors out when they know it in front or will chase them away when they notice it during their stay. As for all it is often not mentioned when they book and when they leave they are confronted with those high costs which will gibe them an uneasy feeling. So what do you think about lowering it and be more hospitable to new visitors? Bartho.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Niki Harris on Monday, February 12, 2001 - 4:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm going to voice a different opinion. The idea that $6 per day tax would chase away tourists is odd. They have to spend several dozen times that per day for travel, lodging, food etc. Business owners are not the only ones to serve tourists. The government of Bonaire serves them as well. It funds the preservation of the Marine Park and the land parks and every non-commercial aspect of Bonaire that attracts and keeps visitors. The government gets involved in infrastucture, such as the airport, the water and electricity and sewer and police. Bonaire's tourists, especially, I think, want environmental protection. Who will have the motive and the resources to protect Bonaire if not the public sector? The island will not be hospitable to anyone in the future if it is not taken care of now.

Bartho, if your point is that the tax is not mentioned up front, and is a surprise to the tourist, added to the bill which they thought would be less, I of course agree. I'm just saying that when you spend $100+ a night to sleep on an extraordinary island, $6 to the government that runs it is not unfair.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Bessmer on Monday, February 12, 2001 - 7:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I know nothing about how citizens of Bonaire are taxed, but I'll wager that those who have anywhere near your income or mine are taxed far in excess of $6,50 a day. I know I pay a lot more than that to the city, state and country where I live.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Monday, February 12, 2001 - 10:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bartho,

In the US, and the rest of North America, I
believe, there are taxes on tourists higher than
$6.50/day, particularly hotel taxes. In some
places they total as much as 15% of the hotel
room charge rather than a fixed charge. And
that on high room rates. How does that
compare to Europe??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bartho braat on Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 4:56 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree that Niki and Dave put good arguments, but as a (Neth.) European I think different. In Europe the Touristtaxes are not more than $ 3,-: Danmark, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium erc.. I agree with Niki, that the tax must keep the island as it is with its security and natural protection. As fot the infrastructure it has got the money from mother-island Curacao and she is not that generous with that.
When more tourists will come to the island, the economy will grow. (look at Aruba) Tourism is the first economic income of the state and the gouvernement should be aware of handling it with proportions and not to lean on the Americabn tourist, because South-America is still there and Europe too.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hazel Scharosch on Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 5:32 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bartho - perhaps the people and government of Bonaire do not want the type of growth found in Aruba or Curaco. With wealth comes many undesirable things, including crime, drug use, and overpopulation, which would indeed result in exploitation of the natural environment. Perhaps the higher tourist taxes are not in place to attract tourists, but rather to limit them to a manageable number. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech on Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 6:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Keep in mind, there is VAT in most European countries but it is included in the price. The big difference is that you don't see the amount separate.

I had to search for some numbers which took a lot of digging. VAT is different based on the item or service provided.

Germany 16%
Spain 16%
Finland 8%
Canada 7%
Switzerland 3.5%
Holland 6% but the city of Amsterdam adds another 5%

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech on Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 7:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The extra $1.00 per person on Bonaire does not go to the government and is not charged by all hotels. It is the amount agreed upon by members of BONHATA which is a hotel and tourism association.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gail Currie on Wednesday, February 14, 2001 - 4:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

In Sweden when we stayed there the VAT was around 15%. My boss travels a lot and in Arizona the room tax is 11%, in New York it is - are you read - 8.25% + 5% plus $2.00 for a city occupancy tax. That's $40 on a room that is $280 so you are actually paying $320. For Bonaire to add only $6.50 per night per room is very reasonable. And I think that a good travel agent will tell their customers up front about it at the time of booking. Even if you book directly they tell you. It's the same with a car rental and the insurance & taxes involved there. Just my 1% worth.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jayne Tilsley on Wednesday, February 14, 2001 - 4:48 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

FYI, VAT in the UK is currently 17.5%

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor on Wednesday, February 14, 2001 - 7:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

However in the UK when my wife used to shop for clothes, as non residents we were able to get the vat returned by filling out forms at the airport or submittint them once we arrived back in the states. That was more than 15 years ago and I wonder if it is still possible.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Richter - NetTech on Thursday, February 15, 2001 - 9:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes and no.
There are lots of websites about getting refunds on VAT. Some VATs are refundable depending on your country of citizenship and then maybe not all. Vacationers appeared not to be eligible in some cases but business people were. That was the confusing part.

Plus the VAT might be 6% on hotels but 17.5% on all other items as it is in Holland.

I also found from experience that the refund amount had to be over a certain amount in order to apply for it. My one week ski trip for two did not qualify in terms of spending.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Robert Deal on Thursday, February 15, 2001 - 12:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Michael, I would say, "Yes." On our recent trip to the UK, the stores provided us with the necessary forms to fill out, if the total purchase of eligible goods exceeded 50 pounds sterling. These forms, accompanied by the items available for inspection, had to be presented to a customs official at Heathrow (allow extra time for the line) prior to departure.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Meis on Thursday, March 22, 2001 - 7:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just Back last night..don't forget the $20.00 per person airport tax to leave Bonaire

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie on Thursday, March 22, 2001 - 9:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

What would they do to someone who didn't have any money left? Make them stay??!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kerri Freeman on Thursday, March 22, 2001 - 10:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

If they'll make me stay I may grab that plane. Josie, you and others using Pearson International will now pay an Airport Improvement Fee of $7.Cad. if you're considered just passing through. $10.Cad for every time passengers depart from PI.(not sure how you classify, check with your TA.) Re:taxes paid here by non-Res. last time I checked, you are entitled to tax back(like Britain)Think it's another file-a-form job. Will check again to see if there are changes. Although with the Canadian dollar falling like a .com, the US/Can dollar differential should still be comfortable.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peggy Bowen on Thursday, March 22, 2001 - 11:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

When Ed and I spent 5 weeks in Canada last summer, we got $300 back for some of the tax we paid on rooms - not all places qualified. We didn't buy enough 'gifts' to qualify for getting that tax back. The forms were in the tourist office. You had to show 'gifts' at the border if you wanted to file.

 


Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites


Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration