Released Date - January 27, 2010 FIJI – TOURISM: F/TIMES                               PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 27 Jan 2010   Tourism Fiji lauds tax refund idea   27 JANUARY 2010 SUVA ( FIJI TIMES) ----- The Tourist Value Added Tax Refund Scheme which allows tourists to apply for a VAT refund which came into effect on Monday will compliment Fiji's tourism industry and at the same time create more economic activity.   Tourism Fiji chairman Patrick Wong said the scheme would increase employment and increase foreign exchange earnings.   The scheme will apply to those tourists who buy items worth over $500.   The tourists will be able to apply for a VAT refund at the FIRCA booths at Nadi International Airport and the ports of entry in Suva and Lautoka wharves.   Mr Wong said it would also see the likes of more cruise ship visiting ports of Fiji encouraged by the "value for dollar" shopping experience.   "This scheme is in practice in many other tourist destinations in different variation, designed for the attraction of visitor arrivals, increasing economic activity,” he said.   He said the Government had recognised the importance of shopping within the local community complementing the Fijian holiday experience.   “Stakeholders in the industry had been lobbying for the “Shopping Refund Scheme” for a number of years bring back memories of the shopping experience that Fiji was in the 1970s,” he said.   “Complimenting the “Shopping Refund Scheme” for purchases collectively over FJ$500, is the exemption on a number of items duty free, from 15 per cent to zero duty on items such as perfumes, cosmetics, camera, watches, laptops, sunglasses, iPods and jewellry.” “The attractions with this scheme are the “value for dollar” on the items for sold, inclusive with the purchasing power of their foreign currency.”…PNS (ENDS)