St. Lucia Tax

Resort locales tend to have higher taxes than most places. Furthermore, tax initiatives to help the government improve the marketing and development of the island also add to the amount someone is going to pay for a stay. Plenty of places have made their taxes nearly the same amount as you pay for a night at the hotel. For example, in autumn of 2019, a night at one Las Vegas Hotel was $25, making a three-night stay $75, but the person staying at the hotel paid $150 for the three nights due to the “hotel” tax.

St. Lucia has announced a tax initiative designed to help the government gain funding for their development plans. The new developments are to improve the airport, bring in more flights per season, and accommodate the growing number of people coming to the island for a holiday.

Unlike Las Vegas, there are clear reasons for the tax and transparency about the amount being charged. The new fee will add three to six dollars per night to the stay and go towards funding the development concepts.
A lot has changed for specific airlines. Virgin Atlantic, not wanting to pay more fees for flights to St. Lucia, pulled out. Thomas Cook’s operations also stopped.

Sometimes the concept of a new tax can cause a slowdown in tourism, but when one realizes the benefits that are coming from the new initiative perhaps it will help people understand St. Lucia is still an island to travel too, despite the accommodation tax adding a couple dollars to the nightly stay.

The funds are designed to help the island continue to be sustainable. The airport needs updates to accommodate the increase in flights. The cruise port also needs revamping to help with the increase in cruises that arrive each year. Beyond these big-ticket items are keeping the island people working and producing locally grown foods.