THROUGH the offices of
the Regional Tourism
Organisation of Southern
Africa (Retosa), 15 Southern
African countries have rejected
a proposed tourism tax
mooted recently by the African
Union (AU).
Their opposition backs that
of the Secretary-General of
UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, and Tony
Tyler, Iata’s dg and ceo.
Simba Mandinyenya,
Johannesburg-based acting
executive director of Retosa,
told TNW that tourism in
Africa was already highly taxed
and adding to the burden
would be counter-productive
to growth. Most Retosa
member states imposed
their own levies, which were
set at levels to sustain their
tourism development. “We
believe these to be adequate
support to the sector.” It was
up to national governments
to provide resources when
additional expansion was
called for, he said.
Press reports indicate that
the tax is not necessarily
intended for tourism
development on the continent
but to fund the donor-reliant,
cash-strapped union, which
has had to forego some of its
planned projects.
The tax, proposed at US$10
(R106) on air travel and US$2
(R21) on hotel stays, was
first mooted at an AU finance
ministers’ meeting earlier this
year and immediately drew
condemnation from a number
of ministerial representatives,
including South Africa.
It was again denounced by
ministers of tourism attending
the 56th Meeting of the
UNWTO Commission for Africa
in Angola last month. The
Seychelles Minister of Tourism
and Culture, Alain St Ange,
was quoted in media reports
stating: “We have all been
involved in lobbying to have
the United Kingdom scrap
carbon tax for long-haul travel,
which is a disincentive for
holiday traffic to Africa. And
now we are seeing our own AU
proposing just another tourism
tax. It is hypocritical and it will
hurt the tourism industry.’’
The World Travel and
Tourism Council (WTTC) has
echoed the disapproval.
David Scowsill, president and
ceo, commented: “Rather
than taxing tourists, I would
urge the African Union to
focus on ridding itself of
complicated visa processes,
liberalising its skies, planning
infrastructure for the long term
and eliminating poaching. It is
these measures, rather than
taxation, that will ensure it
gains a greater share of the
global tourism market.”
The Kenyan press has also
carried reports of objection by
individual property owners as
well as the Kenya Association
of Hotelkeepers and Caterers.
It is understood the
unpopular proposed tax is set
to be tabled at an AU Heads
of State meeting later this
year.
