Imagine carefully planning a sun-filled vacation to the Dominican Republic, only to be hit with an unexpected travel card fee during ticket purchase—despite qualifying for exemption. This frustrating experience could soon become a thing of the past as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) works to streamline the country's tourist card fee system.
For years, IATA and its member airlines have engaged in discussions with the Dominican Republic's Civil Aviation Board (JAC) regarding the controversial collection method. The core issue lies in the current system's failure to properly exempt Dominican citizens and eligible foreign residents from the fee. IATA maintains that global booking systems lack the technical capability to automatically apply exemptions based on nationality—a limitation that increases airline operational costs and contradicts global aviation standards.
Technical Limitations of Global Booking Systems
IATA emphasizes that worldwide reservation systems were never designed to differentiate taxes by nationality. During ticket searches and purchases, passenger nationality isn't a required data field. Requiring airlines to develop country-specific solutions for this single case would create unnecessary complexity and disrupt standardized global aviation processes.
2017 Warnings Ignored
As early as 2017, when the Dominican government first proposed incorporating the tourist card fee into airline ticket sales, IATA clearly warned that nationality-based exemptions couldn't be automated through ticket systems. Despite this, authorities implemented the airline collection method while promising to establish a refund portal through the Tax Administration (DGII) for exempt travelers. Airlines have consistently complied with Presidential Decree 430-17 and General Regulation 08-2018, regularly remitting all collected fees to DGII.
Clarifying ICAO Misconceptions
IATA has also corrected JAC's claim that their approach aligns with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommendations. ICAO Document 9082 primarily addresses passenger service charges for aviation facilities—fundamentally different from tourist card fees, which function as government revenue streams unrelated to aviation services.
Proven Solutions: Online Payment Models
IATA has proposed replacing the airline collection method with an online portal system—a model successfully implemented elsewhere:
- Canada: The Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) requires visa-exempt visitors to complete online forms and pay fees before arrival.
- Suriname: Visitors pay an "entry fee" through a government-managed website that properly applies exemptions.
- Bonaire: Tourists pay the "visitor entry tax" online, while residents and citizens remain exempt.
Call for Government Leadership
IATA stresses that resolving this inequity for Dominican citizens and eligible travelers requires government-led solutions, as airlines cannot independently fix systemic issues. The association remains committed to supporting the Dominican Republic's vital tourism sector—which contributed 11.8% of GDP and over 749,600 jobs in 2021—while seeking collaborative solutions for smoother passenger experiences.