WILLEMSTAD – The specific efforts to collect taxes from the tourist rental sector, such as Airbnb and Booking.com, are already showing remarkable results after three months.

According to the most recent figures, the revenue from the so-called ‘CTB portfolio’ is already twenty percent higher than Curaçao’s general tax revenues, as stated by the Ministry of Finance.

The tax collection from this tourist sector has been designated as a top priority within the tax department. To achieve this, regular meetings are held with a task force composed of stakeholders from the tourist sector, such as the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) and the Tax Accountants Office Foundation (SBAB).

This group focuses on identifying entrepreneurs who may not yet be known to the tax department and optimizing the collection process.

At the insistence of the CTB, two collectors have been appointed within the tax department who are specifically dedicated to the tourist rental sector. They are responsible not only for collecting turnover tax but also for other relevant taxes, such as property tax, wage tax, and income tax. In previous years, SBAB has compiled an extensive database of landlords, which now serves as the foundation for this new collection effort.

Since the appointment of these two collectors on July 1, a clear difference has become visible, according to the ministry. While the revenue from the ‘CTB portfolio’ initially paralleled total tax revenues, there is now a significant increase observable.

Bron: Curacao Chronicle