Skys the limit with airport tax

WHEN IT COMES to taxing travelers from Tocumen International Airport it appears that the sky’s the limit.

In January Panama’s departure tax will increase $10 to $50, making it the highest in the region.

The increase was approved by the Board of Directors of Tocumen S.A., which operates Tocumen International Airport.

In 2010 the tax doubled from $20 to $40.

Currently, $29 of the tax goes to the airport while $11 goes to the Panama Tourism Authority. The increase will help the facility pay for its expansion, as the $10 increase will be solely for the airport.

Tocumen will receive an additional $30 million from the increase per year.

“It is a reality that Tocumen needs more funds to keep operating,” said Tourism Administrator Gustavo Him. “We must have a vision to remain competitiv,”reports La Prensa

Liliana Motta, of the Panamanian Association of Tourism Operators, expressed concern that the increase will make Panama less attractive to visitors.

In Central America the departure tax ranges from $29 to $41.

The tax is included in the cost of plane tickets.