Mexico’s Cozumel port announces cruise ship passenger tax

MEXICO CITY – The Mexican tourist resort of Cozumel is proposing its first tax on cruise ship passengers.

But the island off Mexico’s Caribbean coast says it would only charge the equivalent of 65 cents per passenger.

The municipal government of Cozumel says the Environmental Care Tax would be used for security, environmental and civil defence projects.

The government said Wednesday the tax is “a historic event and an act of social justice for Cozumel residents.” The tax must still be approved by the legislature.

The island is the third-busiest cruise ship port in the world, and is visited by about 1,250 cruise ships each year.