P.M. Briceño “The tourism industry needs to pay their fair share”

In late 2024, word began to spread about a possible hike in hotel tax from nine to twelve percent, catching the attention of industry stakeholders. While the Ministry of Tourism hasn’t made a final decision yet, reports suggest that if the increase goes through, it will be part of a broader tourism tax reform initiative. Prime Minister John Briceño has weighed in, stating that the tourism industry needs to pay its fair share, especially after the millions of dollars invested by the Government of Belize.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I do believe the tourism industry needs to pay their fair share. We have invested tens of millions of dollars in the tourist industry and we taxpayers have paid for it. When you put infrastructure development and beach development and marketing, you name it. And now it is time. This industry is growing and growing fastest ever, we are the fastest growing tourism in the region. So now that we have done all that. I think it is only fair to get bac some of that money and give the relief to people who need it most and for us to be able to give the relief to people that need it most. It is the lower middle class. We want to build more middle class. We have been saying that we want to eliminate the PAYE or remove it and just keep it in the higher upper bracket, fifty, seventy thousand dollars, that would be ideal.”