Last week, Mexico’s lower house of Congress voted to impose a US $42 immigration fee on every passenger of each cruise ship that docks at one of the country’s ports.
With the bill now in the hands of the Senate, cruise ship lines are pleading with President Claudia Sheinbaum to veto the legislation, should it be approved by the upper house.
The Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), which represents 20 cruise line companies, sent a letter to Sheinbaum over the weekend, notifying her of the group’s opposition to the proposed tax, according to the tourism industry website Reportur.com.
The Mexican Association of Shipping Agents (Amanac) has also voiced opposition to the proposal, according to the magazine Forbes. “If this measure is implemented, it would make Mexican ports among the most expensive in the world, severely affecting their competitiveness with other Caribbean destinations,” it said.
Cruise Radio reported that cruise lines could respond to the hefty fees by skipping Mexican ports of call, a move that could prove to be disastrous for several resorts and locations, such as Cozumel, that are heavily reliant on tourism.
Cozumel receives approximately 5 million cruise passengers annually — roughly 50% of all cruise passengers that arrive in Mexico.
What consequences might the new tax have for Mexico’s cruise tourism industry?
Cruise lines and their destination ports typically work together to decide what taxes and port fees are reasonable, and usually, these are directed to help finance enhancements and updates to port facilities and infrastructure.
Historically, cruise passengers have been exempted from paying immigration fees in Mexico because they are considered “in transit,” and not staying overnight on land.
The FCCA warns that cruise developments in Mexico, such as Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico private destination near Costa Maya, and other cruise port investments could be affected by the new tax.
According to the Amanac, 10 million passengers and 3,300 cruise ships are expected to arrive in Mexico throughout 2025.
With reports from Forbes, Cruise Radio, Vanguardia, Reportur and The Street
Good! Let’em pay for the right to enjoy the paradise!
Your comment is really off base. I am a Permanent Resident of Mazatlan, and I volunteer in tourism. Cruise-ship passengers are “in transit” and should not be subjected to this ridiculous fee. There is no rational basis for it, and all it would do is reduce the available funds for passengers to spend while they’re in port, thereby harming the local economy. The fee is a monumentally BAD idea! I hope the Mexican Senate torpedoes it, and failing that, I hope President Sheinbaum vetoes it.
Many port cities are starting to charge fees/tax…and some have just said forget e, we are BANNING cruise ships. The tourists destroy those cities and most of them don’t even eat in town and go back to the ship to eat. I heard all the complaints from businesses in Dubrovnik when the ships roll in. I’m on a cruise right now and as usual most passengers don’t spend a dime at the port cities.
Well thank you for your opinion Peter. Didn’t do a thing to change mine. 🍿🍺
Amen brother..so whose back pocket is the tax going to??
Agree 👍💯.
Venice is charging all visitors, including cruise ship passengers. Amsterdam is on track to ban all cruise ships in the future. Barcelona doesn’t want visitors wearing their city down and has banned short-term rentals. Barcelona banned cruise ships from the cruise terminal in the city center.
It’s always been my impression that cruise passengers contribute very little to local economies while causing pollution and crowds instead. However any serious discussion of this tax needs to rest on a realistic assessment of how Cozumel would actually be affected. In the absence of a serious study on the topic I believe the government will bow to pressure and it won’t pass. Perhaps a $10 tax is more reasonable.
Wrong impression.
I think the reporter should have given the current fee amount and a worldwide comparison to be a fully transparent and balanced article.
We travel ALOT, occasionally cruising and wherever we go take local tours, shop, dine and spend cash to have a good time….and are surrounded by others doing likewise. As tourists or better yet targets, we frequently get ripped off without much objection by many of the inconvenienced locals, so the notion that I (or any other tourist) is screwing up your city is an epiphany and for your sake I hope and pray your tourist industry dries up. I’ll do my part!
Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered and the geese that lay golden eggs should lay them elsewhere.
Yours is a hurtful attitude. You are a tourist/visitor. You’ve come for the sights, the meals, the amenities, the souvenirs. You leave behind a few memories, a few pesos, and footprints that we clean up before the next tourist/visitors arrive. The cruise ship you’re sailing on also leaves a footprint, one we cannot “clean up” after. You visit our homeland for pleasure and you are more than welcome. But understand that while we appreciate you and your tourist dollars, you are also taxing our natural resources and historic sites. Preservation, restoration and presentation are expensive investments we make to keep our history alive and available to our citizens and to you. Thank you for enjoying what we have to offer, and for any appreciation you may show for our effort to keep what is also homeland to the Southwestern United States beautiful and welcoming.
ASK YOURSELF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ECONOMY OF ACAPULCO when SHIPS NO LONGER DOCK THERE.
If a cruise to Mexico stops at several ports, would the charge apply to EACH PORT?
I just got off a cruise that stopped in Ensenada. Most of the passengers booked excursions through the ship, giving employment to many tour guides, bus drivers, restaurants, casinos and shops. The myth that cruise ship passengers do not benefit the local economy is false.
I just read a study that said the cruise passengers spend an average of US $81 per day in port. Sounds about right from my experience and observations, including many cruises with Mexico ports of call. Cruise passengers also pay port fees, a non-optional add on to their tickets. These can be another $20 to $50 per port (the big port fees are at cruise origination and termination.) Any tax will reduce the money flowing to the private sector and reduce employment and/or incomes therein.