Visitor tax, accommodation tax, environmental fees…have all the add-ons to your trip gotten confusing lately? Taxes on hotels will vary depending on which region you’re traveling to in Mexico, so The Cancun Sun has created a guide to navigating the tourist fee and tax confusion.
The Cancun Visitor Tax was implemented in April of 2021 and only applies to international tourists traveling in and out of Quintana Roo state. There are a few more details and interesting things to note about these tourist fees.
To help you, this post breaks down all of the tourist fees and mandatory tourist taxes for travelers in Cancun and the rest of the Mexican Caribbean.
What Tourist Fees And Taxes Do I Need To Pay In Cancun?
Here’s a breakdown of the tourist taxes and fees that you’ll have to pay from January 2023:
Cancun Visitor Tax: Also referred to as the Cancun tourist tax, Visitax, or tourism tax. At the time of writing, the total cost of this tourist tax per traveler is 224 pesos (approximately 12 USD), and it’s for those coming in/out of Quintana Roo state. The Visitor Tax is lower for overland travelers coming from the Belize border.
You can make your payment here on the website, where it’ll ask for your birthdate, passport number, the number of travelers in your group over the age of 4, travel dates, and the date of departure from Cancun. If you pay online, you’ll get a QR code which you can then take to present to airport security before your departure flight.
Many sites have been set up claiming to be official ways to pay the visitor tax, but please know that the only official link to pay the tax is found at https://www.visitax.gob.mx/sitio/.
Electronic terminals have been set up at the Cancun International Airport, where you can pay your visitor tax in cash.
Looking for more practical travel tips? Here’s our Cancun Airport Arrival Tips Guide for Travelers during the holidays.
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Tax on hotels in Cancun:
- 16% VAT
- Plus 3% City Tax
Environmental fee for tourists in Quintana Roo: An environmental Fee of $1.50 USD will also be added to your hotel bill in Cancun per room per night. A few weeks ago, Quintana Roo state officials announced plans to double the tourist fee from January 2023. As we mentioned in our post about this tourist fee, it only applies to travelers in the Quintana Roo region (Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Bacalar, Isla Mujeres, etc).
City Taxes In Yucatan Vs. Quintana Roo State
The City Tax fee for tourists is the same rate in destinations like Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which are located in Quintana Roo state in the eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula.
For tourists in the Yucatan state, the city tax is a little higher.
Tourists pay the same 16% VAT at hotels, and in Merida, the capital city, it’s 5% for the City Tax. But you won’t feel it because hotels in Merida are significantly cheaper than in Cancun!
Tourist Fees – Information For Travelers To Mexico
For your next trip to Cancun, note these tourist fees you’ll have to pay so you can have that extra money to your budget and to help you avoid any scams or paying any fake or alleged tourist fees.
As we mentioned in this news story, tourist rates aren’t a thing for Cancun taxis, and not everything should cost extra just because you’re a tourist. But things like the Cancun Visitor Tax, hotel taxes and city taxes in different destinations, and the Quintana Roo environmental fee are all legitimate things that travelers should be aware of.
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Paul
Monday 26th of February 2024
Just returned from Cancun and using Terminal 4 there was no request or requirement to purchase or verify a purchase of the Visit tax despite signs up at the boarding gates telling you to pay.
If they don't ask don't pay
PCBytown
Friday 2nd of December 2022
Quintana Roo greed, corruption and increasing crime is taking itself out of the long term snowbird vacation market.