Bonaire Is Adding a Tourist Tax Starting on July 1
by Daniel McCarthy
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Bonaire, the Dutch Caribbean island, is adding a visitor entry tax for all travelers to the destination starting on July 1.
Starting then, Bonaire will charge each visitor $75 in a tourist tax, which can be paid either in advance through Bonaire’s tourist website, or upon arrival at the Flamingo International Airport.
“We encourage all visitors to pay the visitor entry tax in advance on www.bonaireisland.com which will allow them to swiftly start their vacation sooner upon arrival,” said Miles B. M. Mercera, Tourism Corporation Bonaire’s CEO.
The destination said that the tax replaces the current room tax and rental car tax, which had been a responsibility for Bonaire’s travel suppliers.
“Shifting the tax responsibility from accommodation and car rental providers to non-residents, the updated collection process has been well received by the tourism sector,” a Bonaire spokesperson said on Thursday.
Bonaire said that the tax is expected to bring in $6 million per year for the destination.
Right now, there are no entry requirements for people traveling to Bonaire—travelers do not need a health declaration, be tested, or go into quarantine.
