WILLEMSTAD - The government of Curaçao has unveiled plans to impose a fee on foreign visitors for the use of the island's beaches, sea, and inland waters. According to reports based on a draft ordinance establishing the Nature and Environmental Management Fund, visitors would be required to pay a fee of $55 or 100 guilders. 

Cruise tourists and visitors staying on the island for less than 24 hours would pay a reduced fee of $10. Commercial entities and individuals utilizing these natural resources for commercial purposes would be subject to an annual fee of $1,500. Children under thirteen years of age and residents of Curaçao and the former Netherlands Antilles would be exempt from the levy. 

The Curaçao government, led by Gilmar Pisas, has not officially announced this new proposal. Minister of Finance and Health, Environment, and Nature, Javier Silvania, stated to the newspaper that he was not aware of these plans. 

The purpose of the proposed legislation is to compensate for the environmental impact caused by recreational activities, sports, and other endeavors in nature and the environment. The Ministry of Health, Environment, and Nature aims to establish a fund that would promote the protection and sustainable use of the island's natural resources. 

The concept is based on a report from the Waitt Institute, which estimates that the government could generate 4.8 million guilders annually by imposing a fee of $15 or $25 on diving and snorkeling activities by tourists. By implementing a higher fee that encompasses other water sports activities and targeting a larger paying group, significantly higher revenues for the fund are anticipated. 

Many countries worldwide employ similar diving or nature fees to finance their nature and marine conservation efforts. The neighboring island of Bonaire has already implemented a similar levy.