Tax exemption for conventions

Delegates to international conventions will not be required to pay a sales tax on their hotel rooms, nor will the tax be added to the cost of organizing these meetings. Congress recently approved a new tax code, which will take effect next year. The sales tax —or, to be more specific, a value-added tax —  although it will be increased in border areas, will not affect international conventions. Tourism authorities recognized that the tax would have made Mexico less competitive than rival destinations. Overall, convention business has been declining in many countries.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers