MEXICO TOURISM BOARD /CONSEIL DE PROMOTION
TOURISTIQUE DU MEXIQUE
BOLETIN VERSION INGLÉS.
Press
Release/Communiqué de presse
MEXICO
JOINS TO WORLD-WIDE TENDENCY: IT WILL RETURN TAXES TO FOREIGN TOURISTS
• As from June tax refund (IVA) will
be given in the aerial terminals of Mexico
City, Cancún, Guadalajara,
Los Cabos and Puerto
Vallarta;
• It will apply for those who return
to their country by sea or by plane and present expenses of minimum 1.200
pesos, including IVA;
• On a second phase it will be applied
at Monterrey,
Cozumel,
El Bajío, Mazatlán and Morelia
airports, and later it will apply to the rest of the airports and marine
terminals of the country.
Mexico City,
May 22nd
2008. – Looking forward to make more
attractive the visit to our country and in the task of converting Mexico as the
preferred destiny for international tourists, since next June the tax refund
(IVA) to foreign visitors will begin, once the Tributary Administration Service
(the SAT) granted concessions to three companies for its operation.
The Mexican Tourism Board (MTB), in his mission of promoting Mexico
inside and outside the country, spreads to all the markets in which he promotes
the country as tourist destination this announcement, in order to stimulate the
trips from the outside of the country for this summer and with the goal to
increase the international tourists flow towards the country.
“With this action, Mexico
joins to the great tourist destinations tendencies of the world on its search
of giving an added value for those who arrive beyond its borders, in order to
know our diverse attractions”, considers Oscar Fitch Gómez,
CEO of the MTB.
The Tax refund, (IVA), will be returned to foreign tourists who prove a
minimum purchase of one thousand 200 pesos in national territory, tax included,
and which return to their country by air or maritime via.
It is important to emphasize that this benefit does not include the
purchase of services, like lodging or food, as it happens in previous models
established in other parts of the world.
The purchases will have to be paid with credit or debit cards, or if so,
in cash as long as the consumption is less than 3 thousand pesos. The
consumptions could be realised in affiliate stores and commerce to some
authorized concessionaire by the SAT.
For the reimbursement, the tourist will have the right to receive in
cash until 50 percent of the reimbursable net amount, without exceeding 10
thousand pesos, the other 50 percent will be paid
electronically, in a maximum period of 40 days.
The foreigners who visit our country will have to present the supporting
receipt of their purchase (official ticket), a reimbursement request format of
the supporting tax and if so a banking receipt. In all
the cases the concessionaire will install an attention and tax refund units,
clearly identified, in which he will realise the corresponding documentary
verification.
The procedure will be applied gradually in all the country. The First
stage will initiate operations this summer; it contemplates Mexico
City, Cancún, Guadalajara,
Los Cabos and Puerto
Vallarta aerial terminals, which
register an important flow of international visitors.
In a following phase, contemplated for the starting following months,
will be applied in Monterrey, Cozumel, El Bajío, Mazatlán and Morelia airports; later it will continue in the rest of the
airports and marine terminals of the country like Acapulco, La Paz, Puerto
Vallarta, Mazatlán, Huatulco,
among others.
The concessionaries companies - Premier Tax Free, Global Refund México e
YVESAM RetornosMundiales
S.A. de C.V. - have demonstrated to be successful in other parts of the world
with the same model that is about to be applied in our country, since they have
presence in more than 50 nations, as it is the case of Global Refund and
Premier Tax Free.
From the Tourism Sector we are sure
that the operatives of this program and the opportune resolution of our
visitor’s demands, will not be a problem for the
SAT.
FACT SHEET
MAIN OPERATION RULES ESTABLISHED BY THE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES OF THE
TRIBUTARY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
• Foreign tourists
will be allowed to ask for a Tax refund for the purchases acquired with foreign
credit or debit cards for a minimum amount of 1,200 pesos. Cash purchases will
have to be less to 3,000 pesos to be eligible.
• The tourist must
show his passport at the time of the purchase and will receive from the
official commerce a printed receipt in support of the purchase, a tax
reimbursement request form and a banking receipt if applicable.
• These documents need to be
presented at the tax refund units that will be located in the airports and
ports of the country.
• If the Airport
unit is located inside the sterile zone, the operator will check the
documentation and compare it with the merchandise that the tourist is taking
onboard. In the case of open zones (before check-in), the operator will make
sure that the merchandise is actually with the checked luggage.
• For the
reimbursement, if applicable, the tourists can ask for a cash return of up to
50 percent of the net reimbursable amount, without exceeding 10,000 pesos, the
other 50 percent will be paid electronically, within the next 40 days.
• The amount will be returned in
Mexican pesos and it will be done as a reimbursement to the same electronic
payment mode used for the purchase.
For more information in this subject or any Mexican destination visit the
fact sheet or www.visitemexicoprensa.com.mx
or contact:
The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal
and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico's
tourism attractions and destinations nationally and internationally. Created in
1999, the MTB is Mexico’s tourism promotion agency, and its participants
include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices
throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
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