Travelkore Payment Platform Lands VISITAX Collection Rights
On July 10 the Mexican state of Quintana Roo issued a statement mandating that all travel operators, airlines and other providers collect an infrastructure improvement tax on behalf of the state — which includes destinations such as Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen and the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres among others.
The Quintana Roo State VISITAX is US$18.80 per person and must be paid by all non-residential visitors prior to arrival at Cancun International Airport (CUN).
The only exception to VISITAX is for those individuals arriving via land through the Mexican state’s southern border. International visitors are not permitted to make a cash payment upon arrival, nor should ever be asked to do so in person.
Quintana Roo has appointed a Mexican-controlled contractor as the authority tasked securing the infrastructure improvement tax on behalf of the state.
In order to facilitate the payment process and reduce airport delays and lineups, the state contractor has assigned the automated collection of VISITAX to Toronto-based company Travelkore.
Tim Scurry, CEO of the Torkore group of companies, explained that Quintana Roo’s mandate is to ensure the tax is easy to pay, easy to process and efficiently administered and that these factors played a key role in Travelkore being selected by the state contractor.
Said Scurry: “We’ve built a user-friendly system and with basically one click, the traveller is provided a QR code which is presented upon customs entry at the Cancun airport. Upon departure, the QR code is cancelled.”
A group of up to 10 persons can be processed on a single transaction making it convenient for families and friends travelling to Quintana Roo together.
According to Scurry, the payment of the VISITAX on Travelkore’s platform is currently being integrated into the booking systems of airlines, tour operators, OTAs and GDS such as Amadeus.
In addition to simplifying the payment process, the Travelkore ecosystem provides free health and safety support tools, such as Safekore, Quintana Roo´s Guest Assist embedded link and Nurse Concierge.
According to Scurry, travel advisors can earn a small referral fee per payment on the Travelkore payment link.
The original statement from Quintana Roo’s General Director of the Tax Administration Service, Héctor Josè Contreras Mercader reads:
“All providers of services related to activities provided to foreign tourists entering the State of Quintana Roo, are informed that in compliance with article 51-Octies of the Law of Rights of the State of Quintana Roo, any foreign visitor, upon entering the State of Quintana Roo, must pay a fee for the use or exploitation of real estate of the public domain of the State of Quintana Roo, with the exception of those who enter through the Southern Border of the Entity.”
The communication clarifies the law by stating it is mandatory for operators to abide by the ‘collect and inform’ directive issued by the state:
“As instructed by the aforementioned law, the “VISITAX” right must be collected and informed, in the means authorized by the Ministry of Finance and Planning of the State of Quintana Roo, through the Tax Administration Service of the State of Quintana Roo.”
