There are broad expectations at the local level for the tourism reactivation bill, whose submission would be finalized next week.
With the aim of increasing the income of foreign tourists, the project establishes that resources for international promotion will be doubled. To finance the increase, the price of accommodation services contracted by foreigners will be taxed at a rate of 1.25%. To determine the destination of the funds, the Commission for International Tourism Promotion is created, with public-private participation.
Likewise, it proposes that foreigners request VAT refunds for personal property purchased for personal use, emulating models that exist in Europe and Uruguay.
Finally, with the aim of positioning Chile as an attractive place for foreign audiovisual productions, incentives similar to those implemented by countries such as New Zealand are created, such as a VAT refund for services contracted by a foreign company.
Businesspeople
José Saavedra, president of the Chamber of Tourism of the Las Trancas Valley, pointed out that “they seem like fundamental measures to us, this industry needs them strongly. The VAT refund is a very good measure, this works a lot in Europe and is very well known, so implementing something like this is going to be an additional factor for foreign tourists to come.”
Regarding the increase in public resources for the promotion and implementation of a fee for charging tourists, the union representative pointed out that “in places like Paris or Madrid, we see this a lot, since one pays an urban services fee or foreign tourist fee. and that collection goes directly to promotion. This measure adds to the doubling of Government funds for promotion, an area that is very important and will allow Chile to have much more visibility internationally.”
“We are happy to receive this intention to pass these laws and we hope that Congress will endorse it soon and it can be implemented as soon as possible. Tourism needs it, we are recovering from the pandemic, so they are very good measures that we support,” Saavedra concluded.
For his part, the Minister of Economy, Erick Solo de Zaldívar, highlighted the public-private articulation that the sending of this project means, ensuring that “it is very positive, since the ideas contained within the bill, as announced by the minister Grau, they are born from the hotel sector.”
In turn, he stated that, “the completion of this project means that there will be more activity for the sector in the regions, more employment and more effects for the tourism industry.”
Solo de Zaldívar stated that “without a doubt this project is very good news for Ñuble tourism, an area that we remember has been affected in recent years by the pandemic, forest fires and climate emergencies. These measures will represent a great contribution to destinations that have seen the flow of tourists decrease, and are a strengthening for those that are more consolidated.”
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