Minister of Tourism María Amalia Revelo, and Javier Pacheco, vice president of the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels (CCH), expressed the urgency of approving the bill to regulate non-traditional lodging, mainly for three reasons: it is an unfair competition for the sector, it would provide security to tourists, and it generates taxes for the benefit of the country.
The hierarch said that the latest data that the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) has on the use of this service in Costa Rica indicates that 10.65% of foreign tourists used it.
Meanwhile, Pacheco maintained that only in December 2018, the companies of nontraditional accommodation billed profits for $25 million, which, in income tax, would have meant an income of 1.99 billion colones for the State.
The representative of hoteliers believes there is a clear unfair competition, since the sector must pay 13% of sales tax, 10% for services, 30% for rent, operating patents, social charges, industrial water and light tariffs as well as safety standards.
Pablo Heriberto Abarca, the legislator who proposed the project, indicated that some of the changes that have been made in the subcommittee where it is analyzed, have to do with establishing a transitory period of one year to adapt to that law, although it would exclude those who provide the service in their home, that is, those who rent a room in their house.
The project seeks a tribute of 5% on the monthly profits of non-traditional services. They proposed that 70% of the profits be transferred to the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) for the strengthening of its functions, 20% for the ICT in order to finance support programs and follow-up to the law and finally, 10% for the General Directorate of Taxation.
Despite this, the hotelier asked for clarity about the destinations of these funds.