The main changes in the legislation relating to the tourism industry in Russia.
From July 1, a new a measure to support the tourism industry is a zero VAT rate for hotels and a number of other tourist facilities.
Zero VAT rate applies hotels for services for providing places for temporary accommodation of guests, as well as for the provision of tourist infrastructure facilities for rent (the list of such facilities will be published in the near future).
Both existing hotels and new ones can receive a benefit for 5 years. But the scheme for obtaining benefits for existing and new objects is different.
Rosturizm and the government expect that from zero VAT rate will provide the hotel industry with another tool to maintain an optimal ratio of price and quality of services.
From July 1, travel companies are required to engage instructors – guides to accompany tourists on routes of increased complexity (routes associated with overcoming various difficult natural obstacles – mountain, water, etc.). You can get acquainted with the list of such obstacles and routes on the websites of federations for sports tourism, mountaineering, etc.
At the same time, a year later, from July 1, 2023, special certification of such instructors-guides becomes mandatory. Until that time, it will be voluntary, but Rostourism recommends instructors – guides to pass it in advance.
Detailed instructions are planned by the tourism department publish soon.
For those tourists who go on routes of increased complexity on their own, Rostourism reminds them of the need to notify the Ministry of Emergencies about this before going on the route through a special form on the ministry’s website (this is necessary so that in case of any incidents, rescuers can find such tourists).
From July 1, 2022, a one-year period begins, during which all guides and guide-interpreters in Russia will have to pass certification. After July 1, 2023, guides and guides who have not passed certification will not be able to conduct excursions.
Tab-stops:365.45pt information will be available on the websites of regional tourism authorities shortly.
To learn how the regions plan to conduct such certification and what needs to be done in order to become a certified guide, read this review.
The Unified Federal Register of Tour Agents was to become mandatory on July 1, 2022.
However, on June 24, the Russian government allowed tour agents to continue working until January 1, 2023 without entering information into this registry.
As clarified by Rostourism, now tour operators are gradually entering data on their tour agents and subagents into the register, and today it contains information about about a third of all tour agents working in Russia.