TOURISM LEVY
The Government of Saint Lucia has enacted the Tourism Levy Act No. 11 of 2020 to impose a levy on tourism accommodation services to finance the destination marketing activities of Saint Lucia executed by the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) under the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority Amendment Act No. 12 of 2020. The Tourism Levy is also intended to provide support to destination management and development through initiatives of Village Tourism and the Tourism Council.
Effective December 1, 2020, a mandatory Tourism Levy must be collected by registered tourism accommodation service providers as follows:
- Class 1: Average Daily Rate (ADR) of US$120 and less – US$3.00 per person each night.
- Class 2: Average Daily Rate (ADR) of US$121 and above – US$6.00 per person each night.
- Class 3: Nightly Rate (NR) of US$120 and less – US$3.00 per person each night.
- Class 4: Nightly Rate (NR) of US$121 and above – US$6.00 per person each night.
- A guest who is 12 years old to 17 years old; or under 17 years old at the end of the accommodation period is required to pay 50% of the tourism levy per person per night.
The Ministry of Tourism is requesting that registered tourism accommodation service providers make full disclosure of the Tourism Levy by ensuring that all guests are aware of this new Levy with signage visible at the Front Desk or another conspicuous location. Additionally, registered tourism accommodation service providers are encouraged to provide all future guests and/or sales intermediaries with written communication on the Tourism Levy.
A registered tourism accommodation service provider is deemed a collector of the Tourism Levy and consequently must remit all sums collected to the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority. The Ministry of Tourism is therefore advising tourism accommodation service providers who have received tourism incentives via the Tourism Incentives Act, Cap 15.30 or the Tourism Stimulus and Investment Act, Cap 15.03 to register with the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority as prescribed in the Tourism Levy Act No. 11 of 2020.
The Ministry of Tourism calls on all Saint Lucians, industry partners and stakeholders to continue to support the growth of tourism in Saint Lucia as the country implements the Tourism Levy to advance its main economic sector and Saint Lucia’s overall development and growth.
For further information, kindly contact the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority at email: tourismlevy@stlucia.org or call 458-7101.
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