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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The tourism minister spoke out in favor of a proposed tax on tourists in a visit to an Asamblea Legislativa committee Wednesday.

The minister, Carlos Ricardo Benavides, was promoting the administration plan to dump the 3 percent hotel tax and collect instead $15 from each tourist who enters the country.

Benavides repeated the administration claim that it was losing money because some tourists do not stay in traditional hotels but in condos, beachside apartments and even in the homes of friends.

Benavides said that about $17 million would be raised from the measure. However, since an estimated 1.7 million persons are listed as tourists here every year, the number is closer to $25.5 million. Only about 900,000 tourists come from North America and about 250,000 come from Europe. About 500,000 come from Nicaragua and Panamá, according to official figures.

The minister told the Comisión de Turismo that the $15 would be collected from every person who does not live in Costa Rica. That statement would seem to exempt from the tax expats who live here. However, those who are perpetual tourists and leave the country every 90 days to restart their stay
would have to pay the $15 each time they enter.

The text of the law, No. 16.752, is not yet available on the assembly Web site.

The minister said that the new income would support research and planning in policies of sustainable tourism.

The minister also said that the increase funding would permit his Instituto Costarricense de Turismo to increase the budget to promote the country. Similar and competing destinations are publicized much more, he said.

The institute, located in a palatial office building in La Uruca, has demonstrated an unsteady hand in promotion. For example it invested $4.2 million in a promotional campaign during the World Cup soccer championship in Germany.

Last month it kicked off a $346,000 radio, print and television campaign directed at the national market to help tourism locations get through the low season. It was the tourism institute, too, that spent more than $800,000 to create and host a Web page.

Under the proposal, a husband and wife with three Ch*ldren would pay $75 before they even left the airport.

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No one likes taxes, but to tell you the truth, I don't think it is entirely a bad idea.

Costa Rica is not a rich country and they do not have the resources to pay for improved infrustructure unless they collect taxes.

All of us are paying the hotel tax, so if the cut back on hotel tax and charge an entry fee, I don't see how the CRT guys are going to be effected that much.

As I am one of those who do not stay in a hotel, I see the point. It appears a little much to charge an entry and exit tax. I would propose, IMHO, simply charge an exit tax per family unit. I would not have a problem, e.g., with $35 per exit.

We won't be, but you are assuming the extra revenue would go toward infrastructure and not to cover the lint in the bottom of some Tico's pant pocket. From the rumors I hear corruption is alive and well in CR, but then again what the hell do I know.