Budget: Cruise Tax Increase To Raise $4.4 Million
The tax rate will be increased from $22 to $25 per cruise ship passenger over the age of two, and this increase is expected to raise an additional $4.4 million.
This is according to the 2020 Budget Report delivered by Minister Curtis Dickinson on Friday [Feb 21] which said, “Following last year’s notification to all cruise lines, the Ministry of Tourism and Transport proposes to redefine the ‘Large Ship Infrastructure Tax’ as the ‘Transport Infrastructure Tax’.
“Additionally, the tax rate will be increased from $22.00 to $25.00 per passenger over the age of two. The new rate will take effect from 1 May 2020 for all cruise ships that berth in Dockyard between 1 April and 31 October, regardless of size or passenger count.
“The increase in revenue yield from this change is estimated at $4.4 million. The majority of the revenue received from the infrastructure tax will be used to invest in new tourism and transport infrastructure.”
Slideshow of various cruise ships in Bermuda:
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This year, some 197 cruise-ship calls are projected in the 2020 schedule, comprising 100 contract calls and 97 occasional callers, bringing an estimated 543,000 passengers to the island.
543000 times 3$ is $4.4m now?
$3/night, average stay 2.7 nights.
The sheep followers can’t multiply anyway so just tell them $4.4M and they will believe it! &1.6M is a far cry from the advertised $4.4M and our supposed finance guru Dickinson did not check before speaking it or it was an intentional lie!
Forget mathematics and think Burtinomics
It would be interesting to know how much the Government has given some cruise ship lines in reduced docking fees over the last three years. There was probably some financial incentive for the ‘occasional visitor’ cruise ship to add 8-12 hour stop after the initial cruise itinerary was announced. If it was reduced docking fee compensation it would not show up on any government financial statement.
Would be interesting to know how much we lost on duty letting all de Americas Cup stuff in free?
Yet another tax increase, this time on the life blood of the island – tourists.
Its like Airlines going up on luggage fees, but people still travel.
Mate u deff work for government. Always an excuse for your party’s incompetence. Surprise surprise. Lmao. It has to hurt to be as simple as u r inna?
Ok
Money for new Buses
We don’t hear from hank on those anymore, all we hear is he’s trying to take over the BTA
Sad part is if the opposition was this long a shambles bus service we’d have strikes,marches riots and the likes.
#HYPOCRITS
Will this even fund the PLP ministers payroll? Doubt it
Might cover MP pay raises and travel expenses
The money needs to be used to pay down the debt! We are living beyond our means just because interest rates are low. But this is living on borrowed time. When rates go up you will see we will sink into the debt hole further and too deep to climb out. It’s madness! Pay it down!