Mexico has every right to prevent illegal imports. Penalising visiting divers and underwater photographers for bringing their own equipment into the country, however, is a remarkably counterproductive way of going about it.
Sometimes, you encounter a regulation or bureaucratic practice so self-defeating that you wonder how it survived the meeting in which somebody proposed it.
Mexico's treatment of some visiting divers and underwater photographers carrying their own equipment strikes me as one of those cases.
We first encountered the problem several years ago, when our contributor, Scott Bennett, travelled to Mexico to photograph the Socorro Islands. Customs officials objected to some of his underwater photographic equipment, and he ended up paying US$570 to bring his own gear into the country.
We contacted Mexican authorities afterwards, seeking clarification. The response was less than enlightening and, frankly, rather dismissive.
Now the issue has resurfaced. Other underwater photographers have reported substantial charges, despite being able to demonstrate that the equipment is their own. There are even reports of travellers being charged again for equipment on which they had previously paid.
This is absurd.
Mexico obviously has a legitimate interest in preventing people from importing expensive equipment and quietly selling it without paying the appropriate taxes and duties. Nobody disputes that. But there are straightforward ways of dealing with temporary imports, without penalising legitimate visitors.
Register the equipment on arrival. Record serial numbers, if necessary. Give the traveller a declaration, and require the same equipment to be presented, if requested, upon departure. Many countries manage variations of this perfectly well. If the equipment leaves with its owner, it was plainly not imported for sale. And if Customs nevertheless insists on collecting a duty, tax or deposit on arrival, it should obviously be refunded when the traveller leaves with the equipment.
This really should not be difficult.
Instead, Mexico risks turning precisely the visitors it ought to welcome into disgruntled critics.
Underwater photographers are not merely tourists. They are also storytellers. They return home with images and films of Mexican reefs, cenotes, sharks, mantas and other marine life, subsequently seen by thousands or even millions of people. That is publicity destinations could hardly buy.
Alienating these visitors over customs charges is therefore not merely irritating. It is economically foolish.
And the people who ultimately suffer are Mexican dive centres, liveaboards, hotels, restaurants, guides and communities, whose livelihoods depend upon visitors choosing Mexico rather than somewhere else.
Divers have choices. There are many outstanding destinations around the world. If entering one country carries a risk of an unexpected bill running into hundreds of dollars, simply because you brought your own camera equipment, some travellers will quite reasonably go elsewhere. Recent complaints have already generated calls among some divers to avoid Cozumel, and prompted representatives of the local diving sector to appeal for government action.
I sincerely hope Mexico comes to its senses and establishes clear, reasonable rules—and ensures they are applied consistently. Protecting legitimate tax revenue and welcoming tourists are not mutually exclusive objectives.
There is also a lesson here for the rest of us.
When travelling with expensive dive, photographic or technical equipment, do your homework. Check customs regulations before departure. Ask your operator whether previous guests have encountered problems. Keep receipts and serial numbers accessible. Do not simply assume that, because the equipment belongs to you, every customs authority will regard the matter as equally obvious.
It shouldn't be necessary. Unfortunately, as the Mexican experience demonstrates, sometimes it is. And an unpleasant surprise at Customs can take the shine off a dive trip before you have even seen the water.
Mexico risks turning precisely the visitors it ought to welcome into disgruntled critics.
