Reading Time: 2 minutes

Mindanao and Palawan tourists can now enjoy travel tax exemptions when visiting select ASEAN countries, making trips more affordable and accessible.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has given the green light for tax exemptions on travel for those departing from Mindanao and Palawan to destinations in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

This decision is aligned with the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) initiative, a collaborative effort aimed at enhancing development in targeted regions within these countries.

President Marcos, in Memorandum Order 29, announced that all air and sea travelers departing from any international airport or seaport in Mindanao and Palawan, bound for destinations within the BIMP-EAGA, are now exempt from paying the Travel Tax, according to a report by the Manila Bulletin.

The memorandum further specifies that this tax exemption also extends to passengers with confirmed connecting flights from Mindanao and Palawan to BIMP-EAGA destinations on the same day, provided there are no direct flights available from their departure point in Mindanao or Palawan.

Tourists can obtain their travel tax exemption through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.

While Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the BIMP-EAGA initiative focuses on specific, often remote, areas within these nations.

Under this agreement, only Mindanao and Palawan are included from the Philippines. According to the Asian Development Bank, the BIMP-EAGA framework aims to boost not only tourism but also trade and investment across the participating regions.

The post Mindanao and Palawan Tourists to Benefit from new ASEAN Travel Tax Exemptions appeared first on Travel And Tour World.