As per El Salvador’s port authority, individuals traveling with passports from India or more than 50 African nations, will now be required to pay this fee, and the funds collected from this will be allocated towards enhancing the country’s primary international airport
El Salvador has introduced a $1,000 fee for passengers coming from India or Africa. This move comes in as a measure to deter migration to the United States through Central America, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
As per El Salvador’s port authority, individuals traveling with passports from India or more than 50 African nations, will now be required to pay this fee, and the funds collected from this will be allocated towards enhancing the country’s primary international airport. This has been done to deter many migrants from Africa and other regions who often pass through Central America to reach the United States.
The value-added tax (VAT) will also be included, thereby taking the total cost for travellers from the affected countries to $1,130. Reports add that this new fee came into effect on October 23, which was imposed due to the increased usage of the country’s primary international airport.
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The World Tourism Organization predicts that the number of international tourists will surpass an astonishing 2 billion by the end of this decade
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This surge in mass tourism has prompted growing demands on local and national governments to address the matter, leading to the recent implementation of restrictions in some countries
Airlines will need to provide Salvadoran authorities with daily reports of passengers arriving from a roster of 57 African countries and India.
Colombian airline Avianca, a major user of the airport, has started informing travellers that those originating from the listed countries must pay the mandatory fee before boarding El Salvador-bound flights.
This new tax comes amid a global trend where many nations are considering or have already introduced additional charges or levies on travellers and tourists. Several countries, including Thailand, Barcelona, Valencia, Portugal, Belgium, Venice, Austria, Bhutan, and France, have already adopted this practice.
The World Tourism Organization predicts that the number of international tourists will surpass an astonishing 2 billion by the end of this decade. This surge in mass tourism has prompted growing demands on local and national governments to address the matter, leading to the recent implementation of restrictions in some countries.
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