Côte d'Ivoire: Aboisso and Dabou launch the Tourism Development Tax collection campaign

The Ivorian Tourism Development Tax (TDT) rate stands at 2.5%, with revenues now split 50% for the Tourism Development Fund (FDT) and 50% for the state budget, compared to 60%-40% previously. These provisions were presented during a campaign launched simultaneously by the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure in Aboisso (Sud-Comoé) and Dabou (Grands-Ponts), according to RTI Info. The tax annex expands the TDT base to include the Communal Tax for the Enterprising (TCE) and introduces a flat fee of 100 FCFA per invoice paid by the final customer, split equally between the municipality and the FDT. The proportional TDT remains based on turnover excluding tax, with operators acting as collectors on behalf of the state. "The TDT can only be effective if it is understood and supported by local stakeholders," stated the regional director of Tourism in Aboisso. The president of the FDT, Dr Marcel N'Guettia, represented during the discussions, recalled that optimizing collection is a major development challenge. For municipalities, the reform creates dedicated revenue linked to local tourism activity; for the FDT, it maintains resources dedicated to site development, training, and destination promotion despite the decrease in its relative share. The campaign is set to gradually cover the entire national territory. This reform is part of the "Sublime Côte d'Ivoire" strategy, which aims to make tourism a pillar of the national economy.