The Barbados tourism sector views the government’s budget as largely reasonable and welcomes several key measures but has raised concerns over a new tax on rental cars.
Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Javon Griffith, highlighted various aspects that the sector finds favorable.
“We appreciate the removal of income tax on meal allowances for tourism workers up to $150, the proposed 2% annual increase in the minimum wage, and the exemption of all duties and VAT on commercial kitchen equipment for restaurants and cookshops until the end of March 2027.
Additionally, we are excited for our restaurant members who are not affiliated with hotels but generate more than 60% of their revenue in foreign exchange, as they will now have access to food and beverage concessions for wines and proteins, which were previously only available to hotels. This is a significant step toward creating a more level playing field for their operations.”