Tourists to get VAT refund on hotel expenses

Glad Hotel Yeouido, a designated “special tourist hotel.” / Courtesy of Glad Hotel Yeouido

By Kang Aa-young, Jung Min-ho

Overseas tourists will be able to receive a 10 percent tax refund on accommodation fees in Korea this year.

The Ministry of the Culture, Sports and Tourism said its enforcement ordinance came into force in January to allow guests at government-designated “special tourist hotels” to receive the benefit.

All short-term visitors (less than 30 days) can enjoy the benefit if they choose to stay in one of the 113 hotels across the country.

The ministry originally implemented the policy for a year from April 2014 to boost tourism.

For the refund, tourists must receive a Hotel Tax Refund Checklist from their hotels upon check-in and submit it to a Tax Refund Center at the airport or seaport

“The policy will reduce the burden of hotel expenses for tourists,” a ministry official said. “We will continue to come up with policies that will make Korea more attractive destination.”

For the latest updated list of designated hotels, check the Korea Tourism Organization’s Hotel Tax Refund page.(

https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ACM/AC_ENG_4_2.jsp

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A list of the special tourist hotels