Accommodation tax goes into effect in April

The St Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) says the accommodation head tax will go into effect from April 1 next year.

It said that the tax would be charged to guests at check-in and that it is designed to ease the impact of the tax on existing contract arrangements, ensure implementation, and supplement financial resources for the Tourism Authority for the next financial year.

The Government approved the tax that is two-tiered and not applicable to guests under the age of 16 years.

The SLHTA said that a US$3 tax per night per guest would be applied to guests staying at a hotel with an average daily rate below US$120, while US$6 would be applied to those staying at accommodation with an average daily rate above US$120.

The SLHTA said that the fee is to be applied to all non-sharing platform accommodation providers and that the rate of value-added tax on hotel accommodation providers would be lowered from 10 to seven per cent.

“In the coming weeks, the Tourism Authority is to spearhead further discussions with the sector on the most effective modalities through which accommodation providers will collect and remit the fee to the Tourism Authority, to ensure high compliance levels, amongst other aspects related to implementation of the fee,” the SLHTA added.

– CMC