Barbados tourism taxes

This item appears on page 56 of the August 2018 issue.

New taxes aimed at tourists are being charged in Barbados as of July 1, 2018.

Guests at hotels and resorts will be charged a “room levy” of $2.50 to $10 per night, depending on overall room cost. In addition, a value-added tax (VAT) of 2.5% will be charged on all tourist services, which could include transportation and booked tours. Short-term rentals booked through services such as Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway will be charged a VAT of 10% per night.

Starting on Oct. 1, 2018, an airport fee of $70 will be charged for each passenger flying from Barbados to a location outside of the Caribbean. For flights within the Caribbean, a $35 fee will be charged.