BUJUMBURA March 2nd (ABP) – The Minister of Commerce, Transport, Industry and Tourism, Mrs. Chantal Nijimbere closed on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, the session of the general states of tourism organized under the theme. “Tourism, a lever of economic growth serving an emerging Burundi. ״
According to Minister Nijimbere, Burundi is the best country which is full of tourist potential, better natural sites, beautiful landscapes, and others. She recommended implementing the recommendations resulting from that meeting, with a view to supporting the tourism sector and giving a good image of the country to foreigners.
The presenter of the day, Mr. Nicodème Nimenya who presented on the theme, “Tax legislation for the improvement of the business climate and the promotion of tourism in Burundi”, noted that the government of Burundi organized that session of states general tourism in accordance with the national development policy 2018-2027. He clarified that the tax system plays a very important role in the field of business, tourism not naturally being excluded.
To that end, he cited certain fiscal blockages identified for the promotion of tourism in Burundi, notably the triple taxation of hotels by the OBR services, the elimination of the 37% tax credit and the abolition of the National Office of tourism.
To remove those blockages, Mr. Nimenya proposed measures to ensure that the Burundian tax system is favorable to improving the business climate and contributes effectively to the promotion of tourism. Those include the creation of a Special Fund for the promotion of tourism, the reinstatement of a tax credit, the removal of the 30% deposit required by the OBR to refer the matter to the Commissioner General of the OBR, the creation of a tripartite administration commission within the Federal Chamber of Industry of Burundi to analyze all the challenges, with the ultimate goal of harmonizing tax taxes.
The participants, for their part, recommended that the State reduce taxes so that plane tickets can be sold at a lower price, develop basic infrastructure to facilitate tourism, in particular road infrastructure, authorize the withdrawal of currencies for companies operating in the tourism sector, accelerate the adoption of the single EAC visa, but in the meantime the validity of the transit visa which is 3 days should be extended.
They also recommended to the ministry responsible for tourism, in particular, to establish a unified legal and regulatory framework for tourism, allow the private sector to participate in the operation and management of tourist sites and set up a committee to monitor recommendations.
They also recommended that there be a single tax code with a view to fiscal transparency and to consult the private sector in general and the tourism sector, in particular, when developing tax laws.
At the private sector level, participants recommended that economic operators in the private sector develop hotel infrastructure around tourist sites and develop and present development, management and marketing projects for tourist sites.