S/5 million in IGV will be returned to foreign tourists

In order to promote receptive tourism, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) implemented, as part of the Con Punche Peru program, a measure that allows the return of the IGV to tourists from other countries. How does this system work?

Interested companies —from the textile, goldsmith, footwear and jewelery sectors— must register with the Register of Authorized Establishments (REA) in charge of the Sunat, a procedure that can be carried out with your SOL code from the entity’s website.

This will allow those travelers from other countries who buy their products to request a refund of the tax they paid at the Sunat self-help posts that are located at the Jorge Chávez International Airport when they leave the country.

So, in less than 48 hours, they will obtain the monetary return to their cards.

“This year it is estimated that we can make returns for S/5 million, then this figure will grow as businesses register. We hope that between 90 and 100 businesses will register this 2023 ”, he indicated for La República Gerardo Lopez, national mayor of Process Management of the Sunat. He also specified that return posts will be expanded in other airports in the country soon. In addition, in the long term, it is expected to be able to favor up to one million foreign tourists.

positive impact

Tito Alegría, executive director of the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur), points out that this measure is favorable because it allows us to be competitive against other countries that already have a similar system.

Likewise, it will have a positive impact on sales in the tourism subsectors. “It will greatly promote what our country so needs, which is formalization,” he added.

For Ricardo Acosta, president of the Peruvian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (Apavit), this is a proposal that has been requested for a long time and that will serve to attract more tourists, “but it is not mandatory.”

He reiterated that the Government should abolish the 18% tax on air tickets to promote national and international flights. “Right now, we have more than 1,100 fewer monthly flights than before the pandemic,” Acosta said.

Tourists spend on average up to US$2,000

According to PromPerú, in 2022, visitor spending from the United States and Chile —the two countries that send the most tourists to Peru— were US$2,000 and US$598, respectively. Citizens of other countries, such as Colombia (US$812), Mexico (US$1,161) and Spain (US$1,396), had varied disbursements.

About, Juan Carlos Mathewshead of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), reminded Andina that foreign tourists spend 8 or 9 times more than a localin a market where receptive tourism occupies 55%, and the rest, the internal one.