The Argentine province of Misiones this week enacted Decree No. 138, signed by Governor Hugo Passalacqua. The regulation creates a tourist tax for foreign tourists visiting the province.
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According to Ministry of Tourism of Misiones, the fee will be charged at hotels, per night of stay. Therefore, foreign tourists over 18 years of age will have to pay additional amounts, starting at US$ 1, at two and three star establishments.
In four-star hotels, lodges e glamping, the amount rises to US$2 per night. On the other hand, in five-star hotels, the charge reaches US$3 for every 24 hours of stay.
It is not clear, however, whether foreigners staying in Puerto Iguazú will also have to pay the tax. In October of last year, the government of the Argentine province said that Iguazú would not be subject to the charge, as it already has the Municipal Ecotourism Tax.
According to the Ministry of Tourism of Misiones, the purpose of the tax is to create the Provincial Tourism Fund. This fund would be responsible for actions such as promoting the province's attractions, both inside and outside Argentina, and structural improvements.
Regarding the negative repercussions of the announcement, the government of Misiones argues that similar taxes already exist in other international destinations.
Charging fees in Argentina
The first charge to generate controversy on the Argentine side of the Iguaçu River, the Municipal Ecotourism Tax in Puerto Iguazú, is over a decade old.
In theory, it should only be required of tourists staying in the city. However, the city government of Puerto Iguazú often sets up roadblocks on National Highway No. 12 to charge it even to residents of the border.
The value of the Municipal Ecotourism Tax is equivalent to the price of a liter of gasoline premium at gas stations in Argentina. Currently, in February 2025, Nafta V-Power at Shell gas stations in Puerto Iguazú costs P$1.578 (R$7,89 at an exchange rate of R$1 for P$200).
Learning from Argentina how to get tourists to stay in Foz do Iguaçu
And with the TPA fee that charges for Bombinhas and that if you don't pay you won't be allowed to enter, what do we do?
I paid 10 reais per person in January at this barrier. As there were 4 of us, we paid 40 reais for our car... It seems they don't want to receive tourists... Especially for longer periods... Anyway... They want to exploit the tourist and not tourism.
Just go somewhere else… 🖕
The tax charged on the highway is a rip-off. I need to travel to the province for work and if I don't pay the TOURIST tax, there are consequences, even if I'm not on vacation. This is called fraud!!!!
Let's leave Argentina aside. There are other Latin American countries without abusive taxes. What's more, the whole of BRAZIL is a beautiful tourist spot.
I went to pick up someone at the airport and had to pay, that is, there was no type of tourism there.
They have to leave them without tourism. Foz do Iguaçu has to make the most of this situation. Create spaces for Argentine business owners of restaurants and hotel establishments to invest in Foz and tell them how horrible it is to go to Argentina today, queue, mala gain from the people who serve, expensive prices, sands and that in Fox you have the best of Brazil and Argentina
A broken and ugly country like Argentina, thinking it's the Europe of Latin America. Make me laugh. I've been there and it's decadent. I wouldn't go back even if they paid me in dollars to do so. It would be more of a gamble to turn that place into a big parking lot.
Argentina thinks it's the perfect place to charge a fee for foreigners. LOL. I wanted to visit Bariloche, but with this crazy president I'm giving up.
In Bombinhas, when tourists pay at the entrance to the city, it is because they are really going to travel through the city…but charging a car that is only crossing the city to access another city in the country! If it is not illegal, it is at least immoral…
In Bombinhas, when tourists pay at the entrance to the city, it's because they are really traveling to the city... but charging a coach that only goes to the city to access another city in the country! If it is not illegal, at least it is immoral…
Hahaha, the government wants to stimulate tourism by charging taxes on foreigners? Last year there was a very high tax for those who entered the Province of Corrientes via San Borja by car.
Is there also this fee when entering Foz do Iguaçu towards Puerto Iguazu!?
I hope not! They already require 2 Triangles lol And they can't get a 3 month visa as they naturally should...
🤡🤡 Ya los precios son unagada y los furlutudos seguen breaking us orto