BUDGET 2015: New $16 per head arrival fee to hit travellers
"The government considers it is fairer for the costs to fall on passengers travelling internationally," Primary Industries and Customs Ministers Nathan Guy and Nicky Wagner say.
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Hawke’s Bay
Tourists and travellers arriving in New Zealand will face a $16 per head new border clearance levy from the begining of next year.
This is to deal with fast-growing $100 million cost and demands on customs and quarantine services.
A $6 departure fee is also mooted under changes that will see travellers, rather than taxpayers, picking up the cost of arriving and departing the country.
"The government considers it is fairer for the costs to fall on passengers travelling internationally," Primary Industries and Customs Ministers Nathan Guy and Nicky Wagner say.
Arriving air passenger volumes have grown by more than 18 percent from 4.4 million in 2009 to 5.2 million in 2014, and are expected to continue growing at around 3.5 percent each year.
"The levy will ensure our border processes stay fit for purpose into the future," the ministers say.
Cargo clearance costs are already covered by fees.
The all-up $36 charge for a return journey compares with Australian charges of around $58 and British charges worth $142.
Also announced was a $24.9 million boost to operating funding and $2 million in capital expenditure for biosecurity services to improve import health standards, more auditing of other countries' biosecurity systems, more detector dogs at the border, and more X-ray machines to speed up passenger clearance.
An additional $4.7 million will be committed to fund more border security officers over the next four years.
(BusinessDesk)
Pattrick Smellie
Thu, 21 May 2015
Thu, 21 May 2015
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BUDGET 2015: New $16 per head arrival fee to hit travellers
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