PROFESSIONAL/ Tourism Tax – Good or Evil?

Tourism has become one of the major sectors in the economy of Japan. The nation has been trying various mechanisms to attract even more visitors each year. Amongst them is to extend tax free list to boost the expenditures of tourists. Basically, this offer will be available as from October.  Some of the items that will be added to the tax free list include health goods, cosmetics and confectionery items. Though evasion of tax from these goods will adversely affect sales tax income to the gove...

The hotel surcharges are quickly growing which is becoming a huge trouble for the tourists. Things as common as changing the check-in and check-out timings, adding queen beds and some in-room facilities are charged extra. In the hotel's minibar, the stuff is overly charged and sometimes there is a cost of simply moving things from the bar. These surcharges in the travel industry are making it extremely hard for the vacationers to anticipate the actual cost of their stay. The reason behind this ...

For you and your family of four to stay in a 4 star hotel in Rome for only four nights, you will have to pay 96 Euros in local hotel tax. But if you slept in the same hotel in August it would only cost you 48 Euros. Four years ago, the City of Rome introduced the tassa di soggiorno, the hotel tax. And at the beginning of September, this tax has doubled. The city gave 5 weeks’ notice to the global visitor economy. The hotels were sold at a different price just few weeks ago and now the price has ...

Many still believe that traveling is a luxury, despite the many budget hotels, cruises and airlines. Sadly, they are not far off the mark. A few bad, dishonest apples among travel suppliers work in ancillary fees into their prices, making them seem lower than they are. This is an unethical business practice that forces consumers to pay more than necessary. It is only proper to state any mandatory fee. The authorities agree. The Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. calls these hidden, ancillary...