Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
OP
loady
Contributor
- Messages
- 53,669
- Reaction score
- 7,843
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
OP
loady
Contributor
Communities use hotel taxes to fund themselves off the visitors. I’ve heard of high VAT / sales taxes in Europe but not in less developed countries . In Europe they are included in the price. We are supporting the Cozumel economy with our dollars. After paying a fortune to fly to Coz, experiencing all these various Cozumel taxes and fees , and the airport shuttle boss selling me tickets then claiming not enough passengers so I’d have to either buy all the seats or pay a $25 taxi to drive ten minutes, forcing us to leave the airport to get a $10 taxi, I’m ready to go to Honduras and dive Roatan for similar diving at lower prices. Or to Asia for much lower prices. I don’t know that a budget Cozumel dive vacation is possible.
For your consolation, VAT is 22% here in Italy on almost every goods, except some "essential" ones as bread and pasta...
I am at a loss as to how you think Cozumel is a high priced destination? I don't focus on the details, I care about the final tally and it always comes out reasonable as far as I am concerned. It's the same as looking at the fine print on your cable or electric bill, there's nothing you can do about all the taxes so just look at the total.
I have compared Coz to Roatan for past trips and Cozumel was always less expensive, and for me airfare to Roatan is much higher. Also, I could get two trips to Cozumel for one to Bonaire, although that is not apples to apples.
AdivingBel
Diver
Sounds like Cozumel is not for you. From your location SE Asia or S. Pacific may make more sense. Have fun. 
the difference is pretty clear. you said "Not lawful to state the price without the tax included.".....christi was kind enough to explain to us that this is not the case.
apparently a business can either quote you a total price which "includes" the tax (which is what you said was required) or they can quote you the actual cost plus the added gov taxes.
but i can see why this would confuse some people. it should be one way or the other so it is consistent.
i do not remember ever seeing an extra 16 added to any bills. so i assume it must have been included. if i was to return tomorrow and started seeing an extra 16% i would ef be questioning it just like the op has done.
yes i agree that the taxes have certainly gone up in QR. there have been several discussions about this. my fear is we will see even more increases in travel destinations as local economies try to recover from the covid situation.
i will repeat what i always say.....the consumer holds the power. if travellers like yourself decide to go elsewhere instead of coz (for example), then coz will have no choice but to make itself more attractive. this usually starts with price reductions. but as long as people continue to agree to pay all the extra fees, there is no reason for those fees to ever go away. and in fact they will most likely increase.
i am not sure roatan would be a better option. i have never been but our shop goes each spring. i believe the have an equal 16% tax. every time i try to price a trip there it does not seem to work for us.
Similar threads
