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> At risk of being labeled a "neoliberal idealist," why isn't the answer here simply taxing tourists more? Because that's really tricky to do without reducing
by the_mitsuhiko 8y ago
> At risk of being labeled a "neoliberal idealist," why isn't the answer here simply taxing tourists more?
Because that's really tricky to do without reducing the town to just tourism. Some people forget that in tourist towns there are also people who live, who have families and friends and some of their activities look very much like tourism.
Sure, you can try to do all kinds of things to work around this but ultimately the solution of taxing tourists does not work well in practice.
- elbasti 8y agoQuite the opposite. If the worry is "too much tourists" well, just raise the tax until you have the desire amount of tourists! (and a lot more money in the coffers). What am I missing here? As an example, the country of Bhutan has zero desire for tourists, but instead of banning them they just charge a $250USD tax per day.
- selectodude 8y ago>but instead of banning them they just charge a $250USD tax per day. Hard to call that a tax when it includes lodging, a personal guide, a driver with car, food, and entrance fees to the things you go see. All you have to cover while there is tips and alcohol.
- linkregister 8y ago> ultimately the solution of taxing tourists does not work well in practice. Got any examples? Many cities in the world have tourism taxes, charged as a per-night fee added to hotel bills. Miami has a beach fee for tourists. Somehow, despite no income tax, Miami manages to stay solvent.
- andrewflnr 8y agoI don't think Miami is worried about becoming reduced to just tourism (aren't they already?), so it's not really a counterexample to GP's point. Ed: explicitness
- linkregister 8y agoTourism is the primary component of Miami's economy, though it is hardly the only sector. International trade and banking together occupy a larger proportion of Miami's economy. http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-South/Miami-Economy.html http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-South/Miami-Economy.h...
- yardie 8y agoJust a small correction. Miami has a hotel bed tax, not a beach fee. I have friends and family that visit and stay with us regularly. They have never been charged to stay with me nor go to the beach. Compared to the rest of the tourist traps down here the beach is one of the best values. As for the cities of Miami and Miami Beach being solvent, LOL. Depends on who you ask. There is never enough money for the things we need (public transport, housing, education) yet plenty of money for things we never asked for (stadiums, Amazon HQ2).
- linkregister 8y agoIf you are staying at a hotel and want to use its beach chair, you are charged a usage tax. It's somewhere around $10.
- yardie 8y agoWhich I think is fair. The hotels have basically staked out a part of the public beach to put their chairs and umbrellas on, indefinitely. This takes space away from the public use.
- linkregister 8y agoI agree. The subject is tourism taxes, which the original parent poster claimed did not work. I asked for evidence and provided a direct counterexample, with no avail.
- mrep 8y ago> Many cities in the world have tourism taxes, charged as a per-night fee added to hotel bills. How do they differentiate between business travelers and tourists or do they just pass on the fees to both?