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December 04, 2020 – 11:30 pm
Newsroom of El País
The bill on the tourism sector only has one step left to become a law of the Republic, but it can already be said that the initiative will go ahead, because the last step is conciliation in Congress.
After that, the project, whose objective is to offer new benefits to the tourism sector in the country, one of the most affected this year by the pandemic, will pass to presidential sanction.
The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, José Manuel Restrepo, said that the project reflects the urgency with which it was attended to in Congress and shows that we are joining forces to move the tourism industry forward, much more with what happened in days passed in San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina and in the rest of the country because of the winter wave.
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The initiative provides tools given in the short, medium and long terms. These are the bases:
New support tools for San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina are included, such as the allocation of the $ 15 dollars paid from the national tourism tax, 0.5 dollars to invest in the competitiveness, promotion and infrastructure of the department of San Andrés and others 0.5 dollars directly for the reconstruction of Providencia and Santa Catalina, during the 2021 term.
There will be a VAT reduction on air tickets. It will drop from 19% to 5% until December 31, 2022.
There will be temporary suspension of the payment of the energy surcharge for providers of tourism services in the hotel, accommodation, events and parks subsectors.
The consumption tax will be reduced to 0% and the VAT exemption for hotel and tourism services until December 31, 2021.
The payment of the sanction for the reactivation of the National Tourism Registry (RNT) until March 2021 is eliminated.
Investment attraction tools were approved in the sector by expanding the special rate of 9% of income tax for the construction of hotels, theme parks and their remodeling, in the same way the construction time was extended from 4 to 6 years.
In addition, this benefit included the services provided in new assistance centers for the elderly tourist.
In the medium and long term, more elements will be provided for formalization with a view to greater quality and competitiveness. In addition to strengthening the sustainability and responsibility of the sector in the long term to position it as a destination.
On the subject of platforms there will be clear rules of the game for everyone, where there are no legal loopholes that privilege some providers over others.
Also read: Will the dollar price close below $ 3,500 this 2020?
Like other tourism service providers, platforms must have the National Tourism Registry (RNT) and those who advertise their services through them must also have this requirement, that is, have the RNT. This registration is free and online.
Barriers of all kinds to tourist activities will be eliminated by establishing the principle of Universal Accessibility; The Ministry of Commerce is linked to the World Initiative for Tourism and Plastics, and mitigation and adaptation measures are adopted to climate change aimed at minimizing the carbon footprint.
There will be discounts in income for investments made in control, conservation and improvement of the environment and special measures to counteract maritime erosion in municipalities that have a coastal or beach area; the safety of tourists through the existence of rescue personnel or lifeguards on tourist beaches and the expansion of training opportunities as tourist guides to the communities and inhabitants of the different territories of the country, through the recognition of their knowledge .
According to the Minister of Industry and Tourism, this law will contribute to peace, reconciliation and national unity by promoting tourism for memory in destinations of interest according to local, regional and national initiatives.
After this step, the Bill is ready to go to conciliation, and once this process is completed, to presidential approval.
It should be noted that the tourism sector is the great bet of the current Government to boost the economy.
Also read: Will the dollar price close below $ 3,500 this 2020?
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