The government plans to make Phu Quoc
Airport one of the places where tourists can get their value-added tax
refund before leaving the country.
The Kien Giang
provincial administration, which manages the airport on the resort island,
made the proposal, and the Ministry of Finance has sought the Prime
Minister's approval, Thoi bao Kinh te Saigon (Saigon Times) Online reported.
The province said it wants to boost tourism on
Phu Quoc island, Vietnam's largest, which has not been well connected to
many international air routes.
Phu Quoc Airport got its first international service a year ago as a
Vietnamese tourism company brought in charter flights from Russia.
As of September last year 5,642 passengers and 919 crew members came to the
island by these flights, which has however been suspended this year since
the number of Russian tourists dropped along with the ruble.
Vietnam Airlines launched direct flights from the island to Singapore last
November and to Cambodia's Siem Reap in December.
Other than that, travelers have to fly in from either
Hanoi
or
Ho Chi Minh City. Value-added tax refunds are now paid to foreign
tourists at four international airports in HCMC, Hanoi,
Da Nang, and Cam Ranh near Nha Trang, and seaports in HCMC, Da Nang, and
Nha Trang.
The finance ministry also picks refund-eligible retailers based on
consumption data provided by the ministries of trade, tourism, and foreign
affairs. It also chooses banks to broker the transactions after meeting with
the central bank. Retailers must register with local authorities to
participate in the scheme. Visitors have to submit a tax refund application
and have their listed products checked to get the refund.
The refunds apply to new goods worth a minimum of VND2 million ($94).
