Tourism Minister Introduces 2% Restaurant Tax for Development
Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Tunis, has announced on Tuesday at the Miatta Conference Centre that all restaurants and hotels will be required to pay a 2% tax to support tourism development. The levy aims to provide an alternative income source for boosting the sector, though the specific areas of development were not detailed.
The announcement comes ahead of the United Nations International Conference on Women in Tourism Leadership, being hosted in Sierra Leone for the first time. Tunis emphasized the importance of collaboration to overcome tourism challenges.
She also referenced recent international engagements in Jamaica and the US-Africa Summit, where innovative practices in seaweed management were explored. Tunis mentioned an underwater technology used in Jamaica to prevent seaweed buildup on beaches, which Sierra Leone plans to adopt. This technology could not only protect the coastline but also potentially convert seaweed into fertilizer for farmers.
Sierra Leone is on track to host the same tourism and cultural summit in 2027.
