El Salvador Imposes Controversial $1,000 Airport Fee Targeting Africans and Indians
A steep new airport tax imposed by El Salvador is sparking outrage and allegations of discrimination. As of November 1st, a $1,000 fee will be levied on all non-resident passengers flying into El Salvador’s Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport from African or Indian origins. Facing backlash, the Salvadoran government defends the charge as a necessary measure to mitigate migration and finance airport improvements. However, critics decry the policy as discriminatory and detrimental to Salvadoran relations abroad.
The controversial fee was unveiled earlier this week by the National Tourism Board of El Salvador. In a press statement, the Board claimed the tax would help fund expansion and renovation projects at San Salvador’s international airport terminal. Revenue will also purportedly support immigration control and offset costs associated with unauthorized migration.
According to the decree, the $1,000 charge applies to adults and minors arriving from over 50 African countries and India. The list encompasses nations like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Salvadoran citizens, diplomats, flight crews, and transfer passengers are exempt. Backpackers and budget travelers have voiced the most opposition to date, though all non-resident visitors of African or Indian nationality face the same ultimatum.
Salvadoran authorities rationalize the measure as a response to the ongoing Latin American migration crisis. They allege travelers abuse tourist visas to illegally cross borders, using El Salvador as a gateway to the United States. However, critics point out the stark disparity between the new tax and typical airfare costs. They accuse the government of deterring specific demographics from visiting the country based on ethnicity.
Many consider the $1,000 fee exorbitant and discriminatory, damaging El Salvador’s reputation as an inclusive destination. Both the Indian and African diasporas have decried the policy for seemingly targeting race and nationality. Comparable fees have not been adopted for Western travelers. As global condemnation mounts, Salvadoran tourism could suffer from associations with prejudice.
With relations strained, El Salvador risks economic and diplomatic retaliation abroad. Major airlines have balked at the tax, and international cooperation hang in the balance. While migration controls are warranted, the country may have erred optically and strategically with such outrageous airport charges. Still, the government shows no signs of repealing the fee. The coming weeks will determine if stormy protests or sanctions force El Salvador to back down.
