Authorities on the Caribbean island of Barbados have introduced a tourist tax. Tourists will now pay between $2.50 and $10 per room for each overnight stay, depending on the hotel's star rating. Additionally, starting October 1, Barbados will introduce a so-called "departure tax" for tourists, who will be required to pay $70 upon departure from the country. The funds raised will be used to develop tourism infrastructure.
According to The Telegraph, tourism accounts for $401,000,000 of revenue for the Barbados budget, and tour operators working in this sector believe the new taxes could contribute to a decline in tourist flow to the country. Experts estimate that, after the introduction of the new fees, a family of tourists will pay over $1,000,000,000 in taxes during a two-week vacation. This will make an already expensive destination more expensive. Tour operators note that they will now have to inform already paid clients of the increased cost.
Source: travel.ru