Navigating the TEF ACT

NAVIGATING the TEF ACT Billing and compliance TOURISM DOLLARS WORKING FOR YOU. The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) is a government agency responsible for implementing recommendations emanating from the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development (2002).

About us The Tourism Enhancement Fund’s role is to lead tourism innovation in areas such as transformational infrastructure and sustainable projects, human capital development, and tourism linkages through the application of research data.

Utilizing its resources, the TEF partners with local, international, public and private stakeholders to advance the strategies of the Ministry of Tourism and its Agencies.

Our core function Innovation Human capital development Tourism linkages Collection of fees from incoming air and cruise passengers Research and development Sustainable infrastructural development Environmental protection and enhancement Financial support for small and medium tourism enterprises 1

The Billing PROCEDURE Day 1-5 Submission of General Declaration and Flight Manifest

Day 6-10 Submission of billing data

Day 11-15 Invoice is Generated

Day 16-20 Payment is made to TEF

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The

TEF ACT

and You According to the Act, each traveller must pay a tourism enhancement fee of:

US$20 or the Jamaica dollar equivalent, in respect of travel by air; S4 (1)(a) US$2 or the Jamaican dollar equivalent in respect of travel by sea. S4 (1)(b) The carrier pays over the collected fee within 45 days to an authorized officer.

(TEF) S6 (1)(b) Every carrier shall, in relation to the tourism enhancement fee, keep such records and furnish such returns in such form and to such persons as may be prescribed. S6 (3)

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Who is

EXEMPT FROM

THE HG FEE Exempted are travelers who: Are under two years old Enjoy diplomatic immunities/privileges Are not travelling to Jamaica but are in transit in the country for twenty-four hours or less (travel by air) Are crew members on duty on a commercial ship/airline 4

FREQUENTLY

ASKED

QUESTIONS Q. Do I have up to 45 business days or 45 Calendar days?

A. 45 Calender days.

Q. Are Jamaicans exempted from the HG Fee? A. No, Jamaicans are not exempted. The HG Fee

is computed on tickets purchased for travel to Jamaica from a location outside of Jamaica. If a traveller amends a round-trip ticket, terminating it and changing the ticket status to a one-way ticket to Jamaica, the HG Fee still applies.

Q. Is there a fine for not submitting the billing data on time?

A. Yes, there is a fine of $100,000- or 6-months imprisonment.

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Q. Is there a fine for not paying the

HG Fees when they are collected?

A.

Yes, there is a fine of $200,000- or 6-months imprisonment.

Q. What should happen if a chargeable passenger is unable to land due to immigration issues?

A.

The tourism fee paid should be refunded to the passenger, and evidence of the refund should be sent to TEF.

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60 Knutsford Boulevard.

Kingston 5, Jamaica (876) 926-8684