The Puerto Vallarta City Council has approved a 135-peso tax for foreign tourists to fund the use and maintenance of the resort’s public spaces and municipal services.
Mayor Luis Munguía González stated that the tax is expected to generate approximately 350 million pesos annually, which will be allocated to maintaining the city center and the busy tourist strip, as well as for beach clean-ups and waste collection.
The measure was approved by a majority vote (11 to 1) and will now be sent to the Jalisco Congress for analysis and approval.
The proposed tax is similar to the ecotasa (environmental tax) introduced in Cancún in 2019, which has since been expanded to other Quintana Roo municipalities, including Puerto Morelos and Solidaridad (Riviera Maya). This tax, aimed at promoting sustainability and protecting natural resources, ranges from 32.57 pesos to 152 pesos per person, depending on accommodation type and location, and is added to hotel bills. (The ecotasa is distinct from the Visitax, a state levy introduced in April 2021 in Quintana Roo, which charges US$10–11 per international visitor aged 15 and older, with proceeds earmarked for job creation and for funding new tourist infrastructure and attractions. As yet, Jalisco does not have an equivalent to the Visitax.)
According to reports, the tax will apply to all foreign tourists entering Puerto Vallarta by air, sea or land. However, certain groups will be exempt, including children under 14, people with disabilities, tour guides, airline and cruise staff and foreign tourism workers.
It is also expected that temporary and permanent foreign residents of Mexico will be exempt, mirroring the exemptions in Cancún.