Financial requirements for the Russian tour operators working with Abkhazia, Belarus and South Ossetia will be reduced from September; this will allow for expansion of the range of affordable tours in these countries, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development reports.
As indicated by the Ministry, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a list of neighboring states with favorable conditions for the stay of Russian tourists. The list has includes Abkhazia, Belarus and South Ossetia.
"According to the law, the same amount of financial security (tour operator civil liability insurance) applies to tour operators that specialize exclusively in trips to neighboring countries as for companies operating in the domestic market since September 1. Its amount is 500 thousand rubles instead of 50 million for operators sending tourists to other countries," the Ministry has clarified.
The Ministry of Economic Development has also explained that financial security is necessary to reimburse tourists in the event of the tour operator's insolvency. "Considering the low risks and cost of trips to neighboring countries, the interests of tourists will be protected even with a decrease in security, and the innovation can also have a positive effect on the cost of tourism products," the regulator is confident.
At the same time, tour operators in neighboring countries will, like other outbound tour operators, participate in filling the reserve fund of the Tourpomoshch Association in order to return tourists from these countries in the event of a crisis in them.
In addition, the new regulation stipulates that all tour operators in outbound tourism will be able to ignore the total cost of tours to neighboring countries when calculating the amount of financial security and contributions to personal liability funds.
"Reducing the financial burden on tour operators will allow us to more actively develop new destinations in neighboring countries and expand the range of available tours. For travelers, this means not only more attractive prices, but also the increased level of protection. We expect that the easing of regulatory requirements will also facilitate the transition of a significant part of the market from the gray zone to the legal field," Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dmitry Vakhrukov commented on the changes.
