Mexico Rolls Back Its New Tax On Cruise Ship Visitors

After much criticism (justifiably so), Mexico has rolled back its tax on cruise ship passengers.

It was first set at $42 per passenger, but the government has rolled that back to $5.

According to Fox News:  

A tourism tax was rocking the boats in the cruise industry, imposing a charge on passengers. 

A $42 immigration levy for every passenger on cruise ships that dock in Mexico was voted in by the country’s congress back in December, The Associated Press reported at the time.

The Non-Resident Duty was to begin collection on Jan. 1 of this year.

Then, due to strong criticism, the tax was pushed back to July.

Now the tax has been dropped to $5 and will be implemented on July 1, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) confirmed to Fox News Digital.

To read more, go here. 

Mexico Passes $42 Immigration Tax for Cruise Passengers

There's nothing like being welcomed as a tourist to a foreign country. Unless, of course, that country wants to charge tourists an immigration levy who arrive aboard a cruise ship.

According to AP News:

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Cruise ship industry players are up in arms after the lower house of Mexico’s Congress voted this week to charge a $42 immigration levy for every passenger on cruise ships that dock in Mexico.

Two-thirds of the money raised, moreover, would go to the Mexican army, not to improve port facilities.

The Mexican Association of Shipping Agents cried foul late Thursday, saying the charges could make Mexico uncompetitively expensive for cruise ships.

In the past, cruise ship passengers had been exempted from the immigration fee, because they sleep aboard the vessels and some don’t even get off the ship during port calls. They would apparently be charged the $42 fee anyway, according to the new budget law.

To read more, go here.