Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority wants to impose a levy on foreign tourists visiting the Philippines to raise funds for tourism infrastructure projects, a top official said.
Tieza chief operating officer Pocholo Joselito de Dios Paragas said the agency planned to remove the P1,620 travel tax on Filipino tourists traveling abroad and instead collect $20 in tourist development fund from foreigners visiting the Philippines.
“We submitted it to the president and they are reviewing it. We also submitted a copy of our proposal to Senate and House of the Representatives,” Paragas said.
Under its proposal, Paragas said the tourist development fund would be included in the airfare tickets, the same as in Japan and the United States. Paragas said Japan was collecting $40 in tourist development fund and while the US was charging $60.
“The tourist development fund is a fund that we get from the tourists coming in and it would be same fund that will make their next trip better,’ Paragas said.
Tieza currently collects P1,620 in travel tax from Filipinos traveling abroad.
