Tocumen Airport expected to raise $30 million

Tocumen Airport expected to raise $30 million

Last year, the board of directors of the airport approved that from the first of January all passengers departing from the airport terminal will have to pay a tax of $50. Through a statement, Tocumen administration reported that the departure tax rate will now be referred to as “airport development rate.”

With this increase, the airport administration hopes to raise an additional $30 million.

Of the total collected by the output rate, 25% corresponds to the Tourism Authority of Panama and 2.5% to the National Commission for the Prevention of Crimes of Sexual Exploitation.

Joseph Fidanque III, manager of Tocumen SA, said that the rate increase will allow the airport to improve their finances from the next bond issue for 625 million dollars to fund Tocumen expansion project.

According to the regulations of the airport, children under two years of age, members of the diplomatic corps of foreign countries accredited in Panama, and passengers in transit or connection are exempt from this payment; .  while retirees have a discount of 50%.

In Central America, the departure tax is between $29 and $41, Costa Rica remains the country with the lowest rate, with $29; Guatemala with $30; Honduras, US $39.72; and El Salvador to $40.27. In the case of Colombia, passengers leaving from El Dorado airport, the largest in the country, pay $66.