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Mexico imposes new tourist tax on cruise passengers starting 2025

Mexico imposes new tourist tax on cruise passengers starting 2025
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Matt Moffitt Managing editor | The Points Guy

Starting in 2025, passengers booking cruises to Mexico will see an increase of $42 per person if their itinerary includes stops at any Mexican ports. This change follows a decision by Mexico's Senate on December 3 to extend an existing tourist tax to cruise passengers, as reported by the Associated Press.

The tax applies to popular destinations along the Caribbean Coast and Gulf Coast, such as Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Progreso. It also affects West Coast ports like Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Ensenada. Previously exempt because they often remain onboard during port visits, cruise passengers will now contribute to this general tourist tax.

This fee increase from $35 to $42 has been in place for other travelers for years. Despite the new charge being incorporated into the overall cost of a cruise ticket—which already includes government taxes and port fees—passengers are unlikely to notice the additional expense.

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According to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, over 10 million people visit Mexico's top five ports via cruise ships annually. At $42 each, this translates into approximately $420 million per year for Mexico. Two-thirds of this revenue is allocated to support the country's military.

This isn't the first instance of a per-person fee for cruising in Mexico; a similar head tax was introduced in 2007. Other regions have implemented similar charges; Alaska has long imposed per-person fees at both state and port levels.

Despite this added cost for passengers, it is improbable that cruise lines will cease operations in Mexican ports. Cozumel remains one of the busiest cruise destinations globally due to its popularity on Caribbean itineraries where alternative stops are limited. On the West Coast, Ensenada is crucial for California coastal itineraries due to compliance with U.S. regulations requiring foreign-flagged vessels to include at least one foreign port stop when beginning and ending their journey in U.S. ports.

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