Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic Hotels and Tourism Association (ASONAHORES) Wednesday said the current tax burden in that sector exceeds 23%, making it 76% higher than the government’s figure for the entire economy and warned that if Congress approves the tax increase, it would shatter the "dreams" of a tourism-based development.
In his keynote speech for the Dominican Tourism Forum (FODATUR), which began today, ASONAHORES president Luis Emilio Rodriguez Amiama rebuked some government officials’ comments made yesterday on tourism’s tax contribution, voiced in a meeting of the Congressional committee that studies the proposed tax increase.
He told industry leaders and provincial associations that are wagering on tourism to develop their regions today that it’s an "uphill battle to attract investment and we must strive to reach tourists."
"What will happen if our legislators are sleeping with the siren songs of the promoters of the tax increases and increase the disadvantages that we already have with our competitors," the business leader said.
"If it the proposed tax increase affects competitiveness levels, we might as well forget the good ideas we’ve come up with of relying on tourism to develop our communities, because it will shatter our dreams," Amiama Rodriguez said.
Each year FODATUR brings together leaders from tourism entities, provinces, mayors and legislators of tourist communities, local organizations and representatives from the 10 tourism clusters, while the Dominican Tourism Competitiveness Consortium (CDCT) is an activity funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Written by: josean, 1 Nov 2012 12:15 PM
From: United States, Fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia; Guillermo Moreno President 2016
Not according to world renowned (in his mind) tax expert IRS Atabey!
Written by: juanb, 1 Nov 2012 12:16 PM
From: Dominican Republic
If anyone is capable of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs (Tourism) it is surely our pathetic
Legislators.
They are clueless, lazy, and interested only in their own pockets.
Not one of them is capable of seeing beyond the nose on their faces.
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
This is a speech that seems remarkably short on detail and long on rhetoric ..There is no proposal for an increase in bed tax and there is no proposal for an increase in the tourist card charge and there are no extra taxes placed on staff employment so what is he talking about ...Maybe he is saying that the government is not praising the industry enough ,,,but even last week , The President was cutting a ribbon for Sheraton in Punta Cana.
If you look at the alleges main complaint that new hotel development will be jeopardised by the new taxes . I can not see one single tax that affects hotel development . The taxes are a whole range of increased rates on new taxes and a few new new taxes ..but all on consumer or financial items
I would be interested if some writers could explain how the taxes will impact on hotel development .
Written by: josean, 1 Nov 2012 1:31 PM
From: United States, Fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia; Guillermo Moreno President 2016
"This is a speech that seems remarkably short on detail and long on rhetoric .."
Are you implying Narco-Lie-onel wrote it for him?
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
I have remembered that there is one tax that could impact on the current hotels but hardly on development ,,,tax on alcohol doubles
Written by: riosm, 1 Nov 2012 2:02 PM
From: United States
WTF....Paskel was stabbed to death ?
From: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), The Dentist will see you now
Josean and dread the sponger always say these hotels don't produce any revenue......what is 23 percent ?....Sounds like a big chunk to me
From: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), The Dentist will see you now
Josean and dread the sponger always say these hotels don't produce any revenue......what is 23 percent ?....Sounds like a big chunk to me
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
the flat rate of tax for companies in the DR is 25% so they do not pay their fair share
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
and I read elsewhere that they are making all their comparisons against Mexico ..what a lot of shonks
Written by: juanb, 1 Nov 2012 4:03 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Considering the fact that virtually all hotels are all inclusive, and from what I can see (and I see it every day) people come here to drink until they can't see straight, a tax increase on alcohol will severely impact the amount the hotels will have to charge and ultimately have a negative effect on tourism.
Written by: juanb, 1 Nov 2012 4:16 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Good job Danilo (if it actually happens):
The Chamber of Deputies has announced that there will be no Christmas hampers this year for deputies, employees, or any type of Christmas gifts, due to the austerity measures announced by the Medina government.
However, according to a press release, the deputies will continue the decades-old tradition of handing out toys to children in poor neighborhoods on January 6, Three Kings Day, and they asked for public tenders for the gifts.
The announcement seeks to correct the practice during the Leonel Fernandez administration, when the Dominican government was the leading buyer of Christmas hampers, mainly containing wines, liquors and gourmet items.
From: United States
says the homeless derelict, dreamkiller
Written by: dreamkiller, 1 Nov 2012 2:37 PM
From: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), The Dentist will see you now
Josean and dread the sponger always say these hotels don't produce any revenue......what is 23 percent ?....Sounds like a big chunk to me
poor, sub intelligent soul. the 23% figure is the tax on whatever revenues the hotels accrue. poor soul.
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
No juanb ...the additional 7% increase on alchol here would amount to no more than say 1% extra charge against profits and that would be on the high side ..hardly enough to shatter dreams .
If you look at the situation in Mexico which has very limited legal benefits to employees as compared to here ,,the tourism industry has little to complain about ...now if in exchange they were to give Dominicans back their own beaches maybe the amount could be reduced a little .
I really think this tourist industry has been good to the DR but equally the DR good to that industry
Written by: ramapo13, 1 Nov 2012 11:44 PM
From: United States
Yes , give back Dominicans their beaches....they need another place to dump their garbage. I have never seen a people so disrespectful to their environment and their best natural resource, Shame on you who dump garbage on the beach and in the water!
From: United States
says Ramapo
Shame on you who dump garbage on the beach and in the water!
and on the sidewalk, and in the street, and on the highway, and in front of their houses, and right beside garbage cans.
Written by: ramapo13, 2 Nov 2012 10:12 AM
From: United States
Agree Dreadlocks......!
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Not according to world renowned (in his mind) tax expert IRS Atabey!
If anyone is capable of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs (Tourism) it is surely our pathetic
Legislators.
They are clueless, lazy, and interested only in their own pockets.
Not one of them is capable of seeing beyond the nose on their faces.
If you look at the alleges main complaint that new hotel development will be jeopardised by the new taxes . I can not see one single tax that affects hotel development . The taxes are a whole range of increased rates on new taxes and a few new new taxes ..but all on consumer or financial items
I would be interested if some writers could explain how the taxes will impact on hotel development .
"This is a speech that seems remarkably short on detail and long on rhetoric .."
Are you implying Narco-Lie-onel wrote it for him?
Considering the fact that virtually all hotels are all inclusive, and from what I can see (and I see it every day) people come here to drink until they can't see straight, a tax increase on alcohol will severely impact the amount the hotels will have to charge and ultimately have a negative effect on tourism.
Good job Danilo (if it actually happens):
The Chamber of Deputies has announced that there will be no Christmas hampers this year for deputies, employees, or any type of Christmas gifts, due to the austerity measures announced by the Medina government.
However, according to a press release, the deputies will continue the decades-old tradition of handing out toys to children in poor neighborhoods on January 6, Three Kings Day, and they asked for public tenders for the gifts.
The announcement seeks to correct the practice during the Leonel Fernandez administration, when the Dominican government was the leading buyer of Christmas hampers, mainly containing wines, liquors and gourmet items.
Written by: dreamkiller, 1 Nov 2012 2:37 PM
From: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), The Dentist will see you now
Josean and dread the sponger always say these hotels don't produce any revenue......what is 23 percent ?....Sounds like a big chunk to me
poor, sub intelligent soul. the 23% figure is the tax on whatever revenues the hotels accrue. poor soul.
If you look at the situation in Mexico which has very limited legal benefits to employees as compared to here ,,the tourism industry has little to complain about ...now if in exchange they were to give Dominicans back their own beaches maybe the amount could be reduced a little .
I really think this tourist industry has been good to the DR but equally the DR good to that industry
Shame on you who dump garbage on the beach and in the water!
and on the sidewalk, and in the street, and on the highway, and in front of their houses, and right beside garbage cans.