The Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) – tourism board – reminded pilgrims and all others who travel through Costa Rica to Panana City to attend the World Youth Day 2019, that every ticket sold in Costa Rica for international land transport must pay a tax equivalent of 5% of its value.
The tax is payable, regardless of the reason of the trip, to invidivuals or companies that sell international transport service, such as bus companies or tour operators that provide service to Panama City directly from San Jose.
Exempt from the tax are tickets sold under the special laws or international treaties and verified by the ICT.
Nor does this tax apply to pilgrims (and other tourists) who, on the occasion of World Youth Day, take a local transportation service – ie local bus – from somewhere in Costa Rica to Paso Canoas and then, after clearing immigration, continue on their way to Panama city.
For clarity, the tax would payable on a ticket purchased on say Ticabus that provides service between San Jose – Panama City, but not on a ticket on local route bus, say San Jose to Paso Canoas.
The ICT says it will be carrying out operations to verify that the tax is paid.
World Youth Day 2019 will begin on Tuesday, January 22 and ends on Sunday, January 27. Pope Francis will be attending the event.
