Puerto Vallarta will begin collecting a new tax from foreign tourists this September, under Article 80 Bis of the Municipal Revenue Law. Municipal Treasurer Raúl Rodrigo Pérez Hernández announced that the process will be gradual, non-invasive, and non-coercive.
Two modules will be installed to start—one at the airport and another at the maritime terminal—where City Hall staff will provide information and collect the payment in coordination with federal authorities and the airport operator GAP.
“The fee for foreign tourists arriving in Puerto Vallarta took effect on September 1. It was approved by the State Congress with broad support, endorsed again by the City Council, and we are now ready to begin,” Pérez Hernández said. “No tourist will be denied entry for not making this payment.”
The payment will be made once per year and amounts to about 140 pesos per adult. It does not apply to foreign residents or property owners in Puerto Vallarta, who already contribute through property taxes and other fees.
Exempt groups include children under 14, people with disabilities, tour guides, operators, airline and cruise personnel, and foreign tourism workers.
Initially presented as a trust fund, the plan was revised to establish a management committee that oversees collection and meets monthly to ensure accountability.
The committee will include seven government representatives and members from business and civic organizations, such as Canirac, Canaco, Coparmex, the Business Coordinating Council, the Hotels and Motels Association, and the Citizens’ Council of the Historic Center.
Funds collected will be used to maintain and improve public spaces heavily used by visitors and to strengthen municipal services that support tourism. Projects are expected to focus on key areas such as downtown, the Romantic Zone, the Marina, Versalles, and the Río Pitillal corridor.
“This year we’ll focus on socializing the measure and fine-tuning its implementation,” Pérez Hernández explained. “By next year, the tax should already be an important source of municipal revenue, reflected in visible improvements to tourism infrastructure.”