Goa plans to refund VAT to tourists

Goa government will refund Value Added Tax (VAT) to foreign tourists on goods bought in the state while they return to the airport, from November this year onwards, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said.
That’s the incentive that the government in this tourism-oriented state is offering to foreign tourists in a bid to make Goa a premium shopping destination like Dubai.
Parrikar-led cabinet cleared the amendment to the Goa Value Added Act, 2005, giving rights to the government to formulate a scheme to provide VAT refunds to foreign tourists visiting the state.
Parrikar told reporters that from November this year onwards, the facility would also be available to foreign tourists and later it could be extended to domestic tourists, once it is tried and tested with foreign guests.
Goa annually receives 2.5 million tourists annually out of which half a million are tourists mostly from Russia and Britain.