The Revenue Department in the Ministry of Finance reminds the public that the House of Assembly has approved an amendment to the Hotel and Restaurant (Taxation) Ordinance to provide for the imposition of a tax on Tourism Services.

The commencement date of the amendments to the Hotel and Restaurant (Taxation) Ordinance which will now be cited as the Hotel and Tourism (Taxation) Ordinance (“hereinafter referred to as the Ordinance”) is 1st November, 2014.

Schedule 3 of the Hotel and Tourism (Taxation) Ordinance details what will be considered Tourism Services for the purposes of the Ordinance. They are as follows:

Tour Operator Services

Tourist Guide Services

Camping and Caravanning Site Services

Camping Equipment Leasing or Rental Services

Water Sports

Water Sports/Beach Equipment Leasing or Rental Services

Sports Fishing

Sightseeing Excursion Services

Sightseeing Services, Aircraft or Helicopter

Non-motorized Land Transport Equipment Leasing or Rental Services – e.g. bicycles

Non-motorized Air Transport Equipment Leasing or Rental Services

Parasailing, Parachuting, Zip Lining

Horse-back Riding and Related Services

Photography and Photographic Camera Rental Services

Museum Services Except for Historical Sites and Buildings

Golf Course Services

Spa Services

Destination Wedding and Planning Services

Concierge Services.

•             All businesses providing the aforementioned services are required under section 26A of the Hotel and Tourism (Taxation) Ordinance to register with the Revenue Department.

•             Prescribed forms for registration as a Tourism Service Provider are available at the Revenue Department.

•               A Tourism Service Provider whose annual turnover does not exceed $50,000 or $4,000 in three consecutive months, may at the time of lodging an application for registration or at any other time, apply to be exempt from the requirement to charge and collect tax.

 •             The rate of tax to be charged by a Designated Tourism Service Provider under section 26B (1) of the Ordinance is twelve percent (12%) of the charge paid or payable for that service.

For more information, please visit the Revenue Department in Grand Turk & Providenciales or the District Commissioner’s Offices in the family Islands.