The recent proposal by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to allocate 100% of the Non-Resident Rights (DNR) The tax imposed by the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) has sparked a wave of indignation in the tourism sector of Cancun. This tax, which is charged to foreign tourists upon entering Mexico, has been a crucial source of financing for the promotion of tourist destinations and the development of infrastructure.
Hoteliers in the region, led by Jesús Almaguer Salazar, president of the Mexican Caribbean Hotel Council, have expressed their discontent with the measure. Almaguer suggests that a more balanced solution would be to allocate to Sedena the amounts previously allocated to Fonatur and Migration, and allocate the rest to tourism promotion. This proposal seeks to ensure that tourist destinations continue to generate significant income for the country.
AMLO’s decree establishes that the funds raised will be used to continue projects such as the airports in Chetumal, Palenque, Tulum, AIFA, Mexicana de Aviación and the Mayan Train. However, tourism sector associations argue that some of these projects, such as the Mayan Train, have already been completed and it is now crucial that they begin to generate income for the country.
Almaguer highlighted that for each tourist that comes to Mexico, the country receives approximately USD 450 in taxes. According to him, this income should be enough to cover infrastructure needs, without the need to redirect 100% of the DNR to the Sedena. Currently, the DNR charge to international travelers is approximately USD 37 per person, a significant figure that could be used for tourism promotion.
Recently, AMLO raised the possibility of redirecting the income destined for the Maya Train through the trust that finances it, and assigning the payment of foreign tourist fees to the trust of the Armed Forces to be invested in airports. This measure has been received with skepticism by the tourism sector, which fears that the lack of promotion will negatively affect the influx of tourists.
The quarterly report on Public Finance and Public Debt of the Ministry of Finance reveals that the trust fund of article 18-A of the Federal Rights Law, which operates the Tren Maya SA de CV, has USD 439 thousand dollars. This amount, according to the hoteliers, should be enough to continue with the infrastructure projects without diverting funds from the DNR.
Tourism sector associations have announced that they will submit a proposal to amend AMLO’s decree. Their aim is to ensure that a portion of DNR funds are allocated to promoting tourist destinations, which they consider essential to maintaining and increasing the influx of foreign tourists.
The controversy surrounding this measure reflects the importance of tourism to the Mexican economy. Cancun, one of the country’s most popular destinations, relies heavily on tourism promotion to attract visitors from around the world. Allocating 100% of the DNR to Sedena could have a negative impact on the region’s ability to compete in the global tourism market.
AMLO’s proposal has generated a significant debate in the tourism sector of CancunHoteliers and industry associations are working to find a solution that balances infrastructure needs with tourism promotion, thereby ensuring the continued growth of this vital economic sector.
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