2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16
The introduction of the resort tax in Russia has made a lot of noise in our society. And it cannot be said that only oppositionists “from the people” were opponents of innovations. Disputes flared up at all levels, including the cabinet. As it should be in a “normal democratic” state, President Vladimir Putin himself put an end to it. As you know, after his opinion, all discussions and disputes stop. What is the resort tax in Russia? Why is it needed, what is its essence? We will try to answer all these questions in this article.
Concept
Resort tax in Russia is a mandatory fee levied on tourists coming to a certain tourist site. Its goal is to maintain the existing infrastructure.
Where funds from the collection should be sent
All funds from the collection go exclusively to the budget of the complex in whichthere are vacationers. Apparently, therefore, federal officials strongly resisted its introduction. It is one thing to introduce a new tax that goes to the Center, and another to introduce a fee that will go towards the development of a particular facility. The popularity of this decreases, because the new collection has not yet given popularity to anyone, but no money is added. The essence of the resort fee, which will be effective from March 1, 2017, is that the funds from it must be in the hands of a certain tourist site and must be directed to:
- Modernization of resort areas.
- Funding environmental protection activities.
- Improve service.
- Reconstruction of tourist sites, monuments, etc.
That is why the heads of those regions that have huge tourist flows: Krasnodar Territory, Altai Territory, regions of the Golden Ring, etc.
New - well forgotten old?
People of middle and older age know that the resort tax in Russia, reviews among ordinary citizens about which are extremely negative, already existed relatively recently. It was introduced back in 1991 - by the Law of the RSFSR "On the resort fee from individuals" - and lasted until 2004. In the early 2000s drastically cut taxes. The country was "coming out of the shadows", such measures were well advertised. Fees per person were minimal, they did not carry any special financial burden. The uninitiated did not know at all that he existed, and heard about him only after hiscancellation.
Today is different. Society perceives very negatively the introduction of any additional fees or taxes, as well as an increase in existing ones. In an era of economic crisis and a decrease in the purchasing power of citizens, on the eve of the presidential elections, such a step speaks of the authorities' complete confidence in their actions.
How much to pay
The peculiarity of the new collection is that there is no fixed amount that our vacationer did not particularly notice. The new rates will be differentiated - the regions have been given economic will and freedom of action. This means that the price of the collection, announced today, from 50 to 450 rubles per day, is just a recommendation that does not have the force of law.
The final cost will depend on the specific tourist site and on the rates that local officials will set. It is not for nothing that the governors of the tourist regions, having united, lobbied for the initiative as a united front.
What collection would mean in practice
In practice, the resort tax in Russia will mean one thing - a significant increase in the cost of tours. So, for example, a family of 4 people can additionally leave about 2 thousand rubles per day at our resorts. Add this in 10-15 days and we will get almost the cost of one "last minute" trip to Turkey.
Resort fee not for everyone
It is not known how things will be in the future, but from March 1, 2017 it was decided to introduce a resort fee in test mode in four regions:
- Altaiedge.
- Krasnodar Territory.
- Stavropol Territory.
- Crimea.
The size of the resort fee each region will determine independently, while it is recommended to make it as low as possible.
Altai Territory has not yet disclosed its data on tariffs, as for the rest of the test regions, they have already determined the size, calculated the possible profit. The Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs expects to receive about 700 million rubles in the new holiday season, this is at a maximum rate of 150 rubles per day. Crimea also announced a one-time fee of 300 rubles, regardless of the number of days.
How are they?
The resort fee practice is common in many tourist countries, but not in all. You will definitely have to pay in France (1-3 euros), Egypt (7 dollars), Spain (0.7-2.5 euros). In Turkey, Bulgaria and India, there are no such duties, but in such matters Russia always relies on the experience of those who raise taxes and fees and introduce new ones.
The hard way to introduce the fee
The new fee to local budgets has truly suffered the right to exist. Back in 2011, President D. A. Medvedev ordered to study the issue of local tax, to develop the necessary mechanisms. Then this idea was lobbied by the governor of the Stavropol Territory. Then officials and economists of various departments were against such an idea. As arguments it was declared:
- Lack of appropriateness and efficiency of collection.
- Negative attitude towardsdomestic tourism. Then there was no question of any bans on traveling abroad, import substitution, sanctions and counter-sanctions, or a call for patriotism. Our citizens chose a last minute trip to Turkey instead of the Krasnodar Territory, because it was much cheaper and the service was better. Now, with the devaluation, economic and political problems in Russia and the world, this balance is gradually leveling off, and in the near future, most likely, the role of domestic tourism will greatly increase.
- Such a collection, according to many officials, can provoke various gray and corrupt schemes. The tenacity and perseverance with which this idea is being promoted by local authorities gives reason to think about it.
Be that as it may, Medvedev's proposal was "lost" in the Ministry of Finance. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak tried to understand the situation in April, and already in May the Ministry of Finance made a final decision on the inappropriateness of the collection. With this initiative, D. A. Medvedev ended as president. The next time he remembered her was in September 2014 at the International Economic Forum.
In May 2015, the Government already rejected the draft of senators Evgeny Bushminov, Sergey Ryabukhin, Vladimir Petrov. However, not a single ministry was interested in it: neither Rospotrebnadzor, nor the Ministry of Finance, nor the Ministry of Economic Development. Federal officials figured the costs would be much higher than the fees themselves. Perhaps, in this way, officials hinted at the lack of desire to work for specific regions for free, since all funds will be completely deposited on the ground.
There is a collection - there is no service
Tour operators were also opposed. The main argument is the negative assessment of consumers. This is logical: how can you collect an additional fee where there are no more or less normal conditions compared to the same Turkey. The necessary funds for the reconstruction of existing complexes will be collected through such fees only after a few years. Consequently, the first vacationers will actually pay for others who will come here a few years later. This is, to put it mildly, unfair and even, one might say, unconstitutional.
Fight for collection continues
In the summer of 2015, the Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) announced that a pilot project would appear in the Stavropol Territory. The law is being lobbied by the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs. It offers to make a fixed rate - 50-100 rubles. The funds should go to pay for the hotel and boarding house in fact. There was no talk of any increase in the cost of vouchers due to the introduction of a new fee.
In April 2016, the Ministry of Economic Development gives a negative opinion on such measures. The main argument is a significant increase in the cost of a voucher in the absence of proper control over funds. Let's imagine a family of 4 people will give almost 8.5 thousand rubles in half a month, and it is not known what this money will be used for. It is hardly possible to hope that without proper control this money will go to the kopeck for the development of infrastructure. According to the Ministry of Economic Development, this money will end up in the gray bureaucratic schemes of localofficials.
The President has the last word
B. V. Putin supported the introduction of the resort tax. After that, all the contradictions of officials at all levels immediately ceased. The project has become both expedient, and profitable, and justified. Four pilot regions were introduced instead of one. The resort fee in Russia, according to the project, is from 300 rubles once to 450 rubles. per day per person.
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