the_red_sheep

"The Tourism Dirham, a minimal charge recognised by the industry to help fund Expo 2020 projects, will be applied to guests staying in all hotels, hotel apartments, guesthouses and holiday homes, and will range from Dh7 to Dh20."

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/touris...-expo-projects

So, in order to fund the bottomless pit of commercial gold and tourism magnet that is Expo 2020 a new tourist tax is being introduced. At between 7 and 20 dibs a night it’s not a huge amount, but it’s certainly not an incentive to visit or stay longer. Personally I love paying for the mad infrastructure projects I'll never use.

I wonder what the next backdoor tax to fund the Expo will be? Any chance it could be one that the locals will have to pay – super car tax, exotic pet tax, 2nd mobile phone tax…

AppleMac

Errr - No.

shiva

more than a few countries currently have or are planning on introducing tourist taxes.
I do however agree that this one is probably to pay for the expo.

Maxima

Probably ?

britexpat76

How about a ****ing idiot tax?

Meow

Governments would make a fortune if that was introduced across the GCC.

scrubbedexpat141

I'd be broke.

britexpat76

How about an *Insh'allah* tax. 10 chips everytime someone says it, they would have the dough to rebuild Dubai in a week or two.

Millhouse

It makes sense really. It's no different to the levy that was put on Londoners to pay for the London Olympics (which I voted for).

There's loads of examples of similar things around the world.

the_red_sheep

Although in that case it was the people who got to vote on hosting the Olympics and who would gain from its 'legacy' that were taxed, rather than anyone spending a night in a hotel there for the preceding 6 years. So, not quite the same thing.

Also, just to confirm your suggesting that a taxation policy, in Dubai, to fund Expo 2020 'makes sense really'?

Bahtatboy

Why not? It's got to be funded somehow, the only question is by whom.

Millhouse

The average Londoner gets nothing from the legacy of the Olympics.

As for the expo - of course it makes sense to charge tourists. Someone has to pay for it, and tourists make for a very easy target - they are not political, will not complain enough to not come, and will not remember paying it afterwards. I think it's a very sensible government policy.

The Dean

So if the Bloggs family come to visit Dubai for two weeks in February 2014, they will be charged a fee (which is what it is) to help pay for something taking place in 2020? 'Sensible'? Yes that's the word I was thinking of........

Dubai must be careful - Emirates is already charging the earth for people to fly to/through/from here; this 'tax' is only a small amount but this place has a reputation and image that could very easily be eroded.........

Millhouse

Do you have a better suggestion?

There is already a tourist tax - it's just a bit more to it.

The really sensible thing would be to actually add it onto the airport landing charges - no one sees that and yet we all pay it on the ticket.

The Dean

A better suggestion? Yes - income tax for everyone (locals and expats alike..........).