Konstantin Tolkachyov: "Resort’s fees should be paid by visitors, not by Bashkiria residents"

UFA, 17 July 2017. /Bashinform News Agency, Galiya Nabieva/. The Chairman of the State Assembly of Bashkortostan commented on the bill on the resort’s fee. Konstantin Tolkachev believes that with its introduction, the regions will receive additional funds for the development of the tourism industry. However, it should not apply to local residents.

"The introduction of the resort‘s fee would give us great advantages in the form of additional funds for the development of tourist infrastructure," said Konstantin Tolkachev. "However, the system should be adjusted in such a way that the fees should be paid by visiting tourists from other regions and countries and not by the residents of Bashkortostan themselves, who today constitute the majority of tourists in our republic".

According to the speaker of the legislative assembly, it is necessary to work out the system of benefits more thoroughly. It is unacceptable that the introduction of the resort’s fee collection would affect the least socially protected categories of citizens. It is also necessary to think over the mechanisms for implementing the law, given the fact that many come to rest in the republic on their own, and not through the travel agencies.

The State Duma is considering in the second reading the draft law "On conducting a pilot project on the resort infrastructure development in the Republic of Crimea, the Altai Territory, the Krasnodar Territory and the Stavropol Territory". The experiment envisages the introduction of a resort fee in these territories for the development of tourist infrastructure. It is planned to be held from May 2018 to December 2022. The size of the resort fee is proposed to be set at 50 rubles per day from one person in 2018 and within 100 rubles for the following years. Based on the results of the project, it will be decided whether to introduce a permanent resort fee throughout the territory of Russia or not. This topic is also relevant for Bashkortostan.