Import Duty to be Waived on Vans for Tourism Stakeholders

Dean Barrow

If you’re a tour operator or hotelier and you’re thinking about buying a vehicle as part of your reopening preparations, you may want to consider purchasing a tour van.  That’s because government has agreed to waive the import duty on that particular mode of transportation only.  It is part of the incentive being offered to tourism stakeholders as they continue to rebound from the devastating economic impact of COVID-19.  PM Barrow made the announcement during his press conference this morning.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“To show how much we are in fact concerned about tourism, one of the hooks they used to try and get me is that among the vehicles that make up their inventory are transportation vehicles, tour vans and that sort of thing.  Joe, as I recollect, we have from time to time, on a case by case basis, actually given full import duty exemption for people in the tourism industry that were seeking to import tour vans.  As it is, you will recollect better than I, the rate of duty on those is not exceptionally high.”

Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary

“Pickup trucks are ten percent and vans are fourteen [percent].”

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“I would make clear today, without going beyond the transportation vehicles for the tourism industry, the tour vans.  I would make clear today Joe, that we would be prepared to give the tourism stakeholders a full import duty exemption, not GST, not RRD, not environmental tax.”