Tax E-filing to relieve tour operators

Boitshepo Majube | Monday December 9, 2013 15:31

 He said that this would especially be so for those based in far-flung areas such as in the Okavango Delta.

Giving a keynote address at the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) annual festivity conference in Maun, he said this would enable them to remit the tourism levies. 

He added that this would also remit pay for the myriad of licences and permits with ease. 'We have been lobbying for online submission of tax returns and payment.

This would include online payment trade and tourism licences,' he said.  Mosienyane stated that they continue to lobby and advocate for reforms of key indicators for doing business. 

These, he said, are registering a business, getting a trade and tourism licence, the endless bureaucracy of certifying of documents, and getting construction permits.

'We also lobby government to improve getting work and residence permits for investors and expatriate staff. 

Also getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, firing and hiring staff, and paying taxes,' he said, adding that they are lobbying for trading cross-borders, enforcing contracts, and dealing with insolvency.

He further said, in all these areas, which by the way are crucial for efficient business operations, BOCCIM is lobbying for the removal of red tape in favour of simplicity and efficiency. 

'Just like HATAB, BOCCIM looks forward to feedback from the government on these issues and progress made so far to improve the situation,' he said. 

He said BOCCIM has just completed a study of the proliferation of levies and fees, and the impact of these on the ease of doing business.  'I know that many of you in this room pay levies. I would therefore urge you to participate actively through HATAB and BOCCIM structures. 

Help us develop a well-thought out position paper on the best way of managing; consolidating and if necessary; removing some of these levies in order to reduce the burden on the private sector,' he said.

Tour operators at the conference complained that the Points-Based System (PBS) continues to cause a lot of pain and grief for them, despite ongoing modification.

Most of the operators said they are struggling to get permits on time for employees.

 They also claim that getting trained Batswana in this field is difficult, as they want to urbanise after getting the necessary skills.