Argentina Announced An Awesome Money-Saving Travel Deal

published Feb 20, 2017
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(Image credit: Milosz Maslanka)

Looking to visit the country of wine, steak, and tango? Argentina announced a travel deal that will save you quite a bit on your stay in the beautiful South American country.

Effective as of January 2, all international travelers to Argentina receive a reimbursement on the Value Added Tax (VAT) on all hotel stays and lodging. And there’s no waiting or paperwork needed: you just show your passport and pay for your stay with a non-Argentinian credit or debit card, or foreign bank transfer, and the refund is direct and automatic. That’s it!

The initiative is a joint agreement between the country’s tax authority and the Ministry of Tourism, and it’s applicable to any and all types of accommodations, whether you choose to stay at a five-star hotel in Buenos Aires, a lodge in the Parana Jungle, a camp in Patagonia, or a vineyard resort in the Uco Valley. Though no word on whether it applies to Airbnb stays; we’ve reached out to the company for comment and will update should we hear back.

(Image credit: kavram)

So about how much does the refund save you? Argentina’s VAT is 21 percent, one of the highest in the world. For example, four nights in a balcony suite at Buenos Aires’ top-ranked Fiero Hotel would be $1,059.96 with VAT, but you can keep an additional $183.96 in your pocket now. Plus, the U.S. dollar currently equals 15.65 Argentinian pesos, so it’s a good time to visit the extraordinarily beautiful nation.

This isn’t the first travel bargain we’ve seen to boost tourism this year; the U.S. Virgin Islands are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the U.S. purchasing the islands from Denmark by giving travelers $300 to spend on historical and cultural activities once they arrive on the islands and stay for at least three full nights.