Angola has unveiled a new tourism tax aimed at international visitors staying in local accommodation, revolutionising tourism sector financing at a strategic moment for the country, reports 360 Mozambique.
Last Tuesday, the Council of Ministers reviewed six legal instruments designed to streamline procedures through the recently approved Simplifica Turismo programme. One creates a tax on international visitors, charging 5 percent of the nightly rate they pay for accommodation like hotels, resorts and lodges, for up to seven days. For those staying longer, the tax will not apply beyond the week-long period.
Angolan tourism minister Márcio Daniel touted the measure as a game changer, telling the press it will “revolutionise the way the tourism sector is financed.”
Other measures approved by the cabinet include the establishment of a new tourism strategy, creation of a bureau dedicated to attracting events, and development of maritime tourism.
The draft decree establishing the Events Tourism Strategy seeks to capitalise on the large-scale national, regional and continental investments Angola has made in recent years, particularly the US$3.8 billion António Agostinho Neto International Airport.
[See more: Angola awards operating concession for new international airport]
“We are finalising the construction of a large conference and convention centre in the Chicala area [of Luanda],” explained Daniel, “and in order to make use of these infrastructures, it is crucial to have a structure responsible for attracting as many events as possible to Angola.”
This strategy involves the creation of a Convention Bureau, overseen by the Ministry of Tourism. It will position the country as a dynamic player in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) market currently dominated by South Africa.
Another draft decree establishes measures for the development of maritime tourism, particularly cruises. The government aims to leverage port infrastructure with capacity to receive cruise ships along popular routes.
“In Africa, the ports of Walvis Bay in Namibia and Cape Town attract a large portion of cruise ship traffic, and these routes pass along our coast,” Daniel explained. With three ports – Luanda, Lobito and Namibe – and a wealth of natural and cultural attractions, Angola aims to grab a larger share of the growing cruise market.
