Sri Lanka starts VAT refunds for tourists at airport

[ibnanv]

Sri Lanka has started a value added tax refund counter at Colombo Airport in Katunayake as part of efforts to make the island an competitive trading hub, the finance ministry said.

Sri Lanka has a 15 percent VAT on most items and tourists can reclaim the tax as they are leaving the country. A purchase made by a tourist is technically an export.

So far 18 establishments selling clothes and other items to tourists have registered with the Department of Inland Revenue to make use of the facility, the finance ministry said.

"Any institution that wishes to make use of the facility can register at Inland Revenue," the Finance Ministry said.

Many countries in the world with a VAT regime already operate such counters at key airports. There are also service agents who help tourists claim VAT.

 

[vidumine]

amen!

 

[coolshano]

at last SL has started this..

 

[sampathrathnayake]

Source ????

 

[-333-]

good move..

 

[LazyLizard]

අපේ ආදායම අඩුවෙන එකනේ වෙන්නේ ඕකෙන්

 

[shiwankaswe]

අපේ ආදායම අඩුවෙන එකනේ වෙන්නේ ඕකෙන්

Did you ever travel to any other country?

 

[Dharatha]

Not a good move..SL is not a.trading hub like Singapore or dubai most tourists buy handicraft n cheap fancy stuff so removing vat from those items would not make much sense

De only tourist I have seen buying textiles are maldiven lol ..they even buy stuff frm Pamunuwa Maharagama lol

 

[Mr.Yo]

Not a good move..SL is not a.trading hub like Singapore or dubai most tourists buy handicraft n cheap fancy stuff so removing vat from those items would not make much sense

De only tourist I have seen buying textiles are maldiven lol ..they even buy stuff frm Pamunuwa Maharagama lol

Hari bn..kohomahari patan ganna epai..hamadaama singapore nemei kiya kiya hitiyoth bhne bnz

 

[LazyLizard]

Did you ever travel to any other country?

මේ මොකෝ මේ අපේ ආදායම වැඩිවෙනවද නැත්තන් මේකෙන්

 

[giggee]

It is nice to see this taking place . This has been placed in many countries years ago but the problem in SL is only local products have the chance to benefit from this since margin of profit set by importing companies are high for the imported goods where as in many other countries people even buy electronic products or high end products.. Nevertheless everyone should appreciate this decision

 

[SadSandun]

Good one. There will be more tourists and more sales.

 

[shiwankaswe]

මේ මොකෝ මේ අපේ ආදායම වැඩිවෙනවද නැත්තන් මේකෙන්

More sales definitely bring more money to the country
money coming to country means government going to rich, no need of tax

 

[ibnanv]

I have been to 14 Countries. England, Wales, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Maldives, India, Malaysia.

 

[Sanuka87]

Seems to be a good move

 

[printman]

Not a good move..SL is not a.trading hub like Singapore or dubai most tourists buy handicraft n cheap fancy stuff so removing vat from those items would not make much sense

De only tourist I have seen buying textiles are maldiven lol ..they even buy stuff frm Pamunuwa Maharagama lol

machan this is only applicable to vat registered businesses.. If they buy from pamunuwa obviously you can't claim vat..
what government trying to do is promote high-end shops for tourists.. so thinking of the vat refund unintentionally then tend to spend more..

 

[hancok]

අපේ ආදායම අඩුවෙන එකනේ වෙන්නේ ඕකෙන්

Exports walata tax gahanne na

 

[skymicro]

අපේ ආදායම අඩුවෙන එකනේ වෙන්නේ ඕකෙන්

 

[LazyLizard]

More sales definitely bring more money to the country
money coming to country means government going to rich, no need of tax

ගාන අඩු නිසා වැඩියෙන් බඩු ගනීවි කියල අනුමානයක් මිසක් නැතුව කෙලින්ම බැලුවොත් ආදායම අඩුවෙන එක නෙව වෙන්නේ