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Monday, July 31, 2006
Tax holiday to boost tourism in Mindanao, Palawan
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Philippine government has declared tax holiday on tourists and businessmen coming from nearby Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in a bid to boost the tourism industry of Mindanao and Palawan.
Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza said the tax holiday will be implemented for a period of two years, starting this year to lure tourists and investors to come and see investment potentials of the two cited places.
Dureza said the decision to stop the imposition of travel tax collection from foreign visitors was made by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a special policy support for the development of the tourism industry in Mindanao and Palawan.
He said that Filipinos who will travel to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia are also entitled to enjoy with the travel tax holiday declared by President Arroyo.
"This (tax holiday) will encourage people to go across border especially here in Mindanao," he said.
Prior to the tax holiday declaration, the Philippine government is collecting P1,620 travel tax from each traveler coming from Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia as well as Filipinos traveling to the three mentioned places.
Dureza said that even though it will cause the decreased of income from travel taxes, "but it will help improve the tourism industry of Mindanao and Palawan."
A high-level meeting was held last week in Koronadal City by tourism industry players, airline operators, travel agents and tour operators from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga) aimed to promote greater tourism and cross border in the four countries.
The meeting highlighted discussion on programs and projects such as the development of tour packages anchored on the culture, adventure and nature tourism destinations in Bimp-Eaga, promotion of Eaga signature events, establishment of port-to-port air linkages, provision of incentives for airline and shipping operators in the region and the production of Bimp-Eaga tourism posters that banner the Bimp-Eaga logo. (Sunnex)
(July 31, 2006 issue)
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