A very small article in the Daily Herald about an upcoming Tourist Tax. Anybody have any insight into it? As with many taxes imposed by any government, little information.

I did not see the story in the online edition. Looked at the full edition and it referred to the "much discussed" tourist tax. I don't know who has been discussing it, as this is the first I have heard of it. Whatever it is apparently is in the current budget as income, but from what I can tell, it has not been passed yet. The story says that it is to come into effect in the 2nd quarter of this year. One wonders how the thing would be collected, as like us, most people who are coming in by airplane in the second quarter have already purchased plane tickets.

I also noticed the vagueness of the article. Anyone interested in starting a pool on how much it will be? I will open with $100 p.p.

J.D., they have been talking about this for more than a year, but trying to keep out of much public discourse. I do not know how close they are to implementing this new tax but hopefully it follows a similar timeline to the rebuilding of the airport. Below is an article from a year ago about the travel tax.


link to article about travel tax

bdeeley--thanks for the link. I do remember seeing something about how the hotel tax in Aruba is sky high, versus SXM, but see that story says most of that money does not to go the government, but to the marketing outfit. But I still don't see how it would work, unless it is tacked onto airplane tickets.

Didn't there used to be some sort of exit charge, where you had to stop at a small booth at the airport and pay a relatively small amount—$15 per person?—before you could board your plane. I thought I remembered something about making sure you had money left to do this. Then the fee was added to your airfare, so the airport stop ended. Disregard if this is a faulty memory based on some other island!

Yes, there used to be a departure tax that you had to pay at the airport. I think it was maybe $10 a person. And it did get rolled into the plane tickets.

When we first visited in the very early seventies it was called a departure fee (tax?) and it was $2.00 pp and paid at the little window previously mentioned. Over the years the fee increased - last I recall I think it was $20.00 pp, and they incorporated it into the price of your plane ticket. Pretty much if you didn’t see it, it didn’t happen?

I wasn’t aware of any recent discussion about charging a tourism fee but I’m often not paying close attention these days. I do sincerely believe the island needs to tread lightly with this. People are becoming more and more disenchanted with our beloved island for so many reasons.

Between the nonsense happening with arrivals and departures currently at the airport; the games being paid over the fifteen percent restaurant add-on - is it a sc or is it a tip and what’s the difference?; and now a proposed new tourism tax it’s becoming less and less such an enchanted island. And I’m saying this after fifty consecutive years of visits. The islanders are still the friendliest people I’ve ever encountered in any of our island travels but the island these days? Not so much IMHO.

I know that $5.00 per person comes off every cruise ship passenger in St. Maarten which goes to the government. It brings in a lot of money.

Good one!

pat,

The departure fee/tax is currently $42 per departing passenger. That is up from not too long ago as I initially thought it to be $39.

I will attach a screenshot of the taxes/fees from some random date on Delta from DAY to SXM and return. Note the airport "improvement" fee as well.

Article stated a proposed $25.00 fee to enter. No big deal if that is what it'll be. Easy to collect at immigration unless collected through airfare.

As recently as late November 2023 the departure tax was $39. I wonder if it went up the first the year?

Let's try this again.

Flights - Round Trip
Currency CalculatorOpens In New Popup
1 passengerFlights
$1,623.00
Taxes, Fees & Charges
US Passenger Facility Charge
$13.50
United States Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fee
$11.20
US International Departure Tax
$44.40
United States Immigration User Fee
$7.00
United States Customs User Fee
$6.97
Sint Maarten Airport Improvement Fee
$12.50
Sint Maarten Airport Departure Tax SXM
$42.00
Sint Maarten Passenger Screening Fee
$12.73
United States APHIS Passenger Fee Passengers
$3.83
Learn More About Taxes/Fees

I figure it will be some sort of entry fee, similar to the Dominican Republic.

Goodness, I hope they don't try that! Can you imagine how much that extra step would slow the arrival process!?!

Even SXM wouldn't be THAT stupid!! Especially now, with the clusterf*ck that arrivals are???????

Or at a booth or Kiosk prior to immigration like they used to do with the departure fee in the past. After the time arrivals are in full operation it would be easy to implement.

Sorry, I can't agree with that in any way. The separate window for the departure fee worked years ago, because hundreds of people weren't arriving at the airport for departure at the same time. Arrivals are a completely different scenario.

I agree 100%, that is just a stupid idea. 🤮🤮

The simplest way would be to have the airlines add it to their fee schedule, just like all the other fees they collect. The island would receive their tax without any impact on the arrival process for visitors.