Increased spending on Expo 2020 will help value added tax (VAT) revenues in the UAE push to over $8 billion (AED30bn) this year, according a Dubai-based tax consultancy.

Revenues will also be boosted by a growth in retail, hospitality, aviation and shipping, but Rajiv Hira, chairman, RHMC Management Consultants, said the huge increases will not be sustained over the longer term.

Hira told Arabian Business: “Considering the distribution of $7.3bn (AED27bn) on account of value-added tax, it can be easily concluded to touch around $8bn (AED30bn), although we will be observing an increase in capital spending at a faster and larger scale, whereas VAT collection will not increase in that speed, due to the following factors: Entities will be entitled able to claim input tax on capital spending; and VAT is already paid on account of advances for the projects related to 2020 (including other capital spendings).”