What makes a "Duty Free" port?

[mac]

While we love Aruba and have been going for over 10 years, we also like St. Maarten and spent a week there last month. St. Maarten is a "duty fee " port. I always thought that meant you had to buy at particular stores to get "the deal", but we found grocery stores had good beer and liquor prices as well-$16 for a case of local beer, $8 for bottle of Gray Goose. We always hear liquor and beer are expensive cuz they must be shipped in, but St. Maarten is in the same boat. Just don't understand $30 for a case of Balashi, althought I certainly pay it. How do you become a Duty Free Port?

[rob o]

I think it's like taxation....they decide what to tax, or not tax.

I fly from Boston....there they have a "duty free" shop at the airport. When you buy, they deliver your purchase to the boarding gate (you have to be boarding before you can actually get your "goods". We typically buy 4 or 5 liters of vodka/rum/tequila this way....pay about half what we would in Aruba.

Must be special "evaporating" alcohol, though....somehow it always disappears before our trip is over!

[mattnewhampshire]

Originally Posted by rob o

I think it's like taxation....they decide what to tax, or not tax.

I fly from Boston....there they have a "duty free" shop at the airport. When you buy, they deliver your purchase to the boarding gate (you have to be boarding before you can actually get your "goods". We typically buy 4 or 5 liters of vodka/rum/tequila this way....pay about half what we would in Aruba.

Must be special "evaporating" alcohol, though....somehow it always disappears before our trip is over!

We fly from Boston too, how do you get duty free liquors on your way down? I never saw anywhere to do that?

[Arubalisa]

Like Rob, I was going to say taxation. Imports and Non-imports may or may not be taxed in St. Maarten. St. Maarten may very well have some "tax free" allowances built into their economy and raise their money elsewhere.

Just about everything in Aruba has a 12% BBO tax plus whatever other taxes (not sure, but there are probably some).

[rob o]

Originally Posted by mattnewhampshire

We fly from Boston too, how do you get duty free liquors on your way down? I never saw anywhere to do that?

We fly American Airlines, there's a duty free shop after you pass through security, just to the right. There's another duty free at Terminal B just before security.

I suggest you call MassPort or check their website....that's how I orginally found it.

http://www.dutyfreeamericas.com/reta...fm?stateAbr=MA

Call for exact locations...there are "branches" of the Terminal E store.

[kthy66]

Originally Posted by rob o

Must be special "evaporating" alcohol, though....somehow it always disappears before our trip is over!

hmmm,, special evaporating alcohol?