Incentives for water sports and tour operators will ensure tourism industry benefits all, PM says

The government has approved full tax waivers on capital equipment for local entertainment and water sports operators as part of a broader effort to strengthen local participation in the tourism sector.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the measures during the Browne and Browne Show on Saturday, saying Cabinet agreed to remove duties and taxes on equipment imported by local leisure and entertainment businesses.

The concessions will apply to capital items used in water-based tourism and related activities, with the aim of lowering entry barriers and helping small operators modernize and expand.

At the same time, Browne warned that large hotels that seek to compete directly with small local operators could lose existing concessions if they are found to be crowding out locals.

He said properties that import equipment to operate tours, water sports or entertainment services in competition with smaller businesses will be required to pay taxes on those items. The government has already begun reviewing certain concessions granted to hotels, he added.

“We want to ensure that the tourism sector benefits all,” Browne said, stressing that the industry must not become an enclave serving only major developers.

The Cabinet has also agreed to introduce a certification process through the Ministry of Tourism to formally recognize legitimate local operators, helping them secure opportunities within hotels and the wider hospitality sector.

The measures form part of a policy shift aimed at expanding domestic ownership and ensuring that Antiguans and Barbudans share more directly in the gains from tourism.