Authorities want to fine tourists for non-payment of the resort fee, the reputation of hoteliers is under threat
The introduction of the resort fee in the Krasnodar Territory began after the completion of the World Cup-18. The process immediately began with threats: for non-payment of the “tax”, the authorities are going to impose fines on tourists, hotels and sanatoriums.
The result of this approach can be assessed at the end of this year, but the possibility of charging a fine raises questions: there are cases of refusal of guests of the region to pay fees, and hotels are afraid for their reputation, and they do not want to “hand over” such guests to the authorities. Therefore, such tourists leave without paying this “tax”. Paying forward is not possible due to the law.
The resort collection in the Krasnodar Territory was introduced after the end of the 2018 World Cup. The tax is going to be levied in Sochi, Anapa, Gelendzhik, Hot Key, in Shepsinsky, Novomikhaylovsk, Nebug and Dzhubga settlements. The fee is 10 rubles. /day, they will be charged by hotels, holiday homes and sanatoriums, which need to report to the local authorities. There is a calculation by which guests of the region will add 70 million rubles to the local budget, they will be sent to improve the infrastructure of the resort.
There were refuseniks – vacationers who refused to pay a new fee. Local authorities prepare fines for travelers - from 500 to 2000 rubles, for hotels and sanatoriums - from 5 thousand to 15 thousand rubles.
The practice of introducing a fee raises questions, and the process of charging guests money is not developed. “Fines are provided for by local legislation, imposed on those who evade payment of the resort fee. But how these regions will administer this fine, how they will track those who have not paid it is a big question. The fee must be paid when leaving the hotel with the conclusion of the relevant contract. Therefore, the only option that comes to mind is that hotels will have to call the police or other body authorized to draw up an administrative report on the violation for refuseniks. But this will create a “miraculous” reputation for such a hotel, said Georgy Mokhov, a member of the PCT legal commission.
Despite the image losses, hotels must develop the possibility of collection, as they are under the threat of a fine.
All these proposed measures look like a theater of the absurd – to spend so much effort to collect from one tourist the amount of about 100 rubles. Why? Perhaps in two or three years, this will give some results, it will become obvious how much they collected, how much they did not collect, what they allowed, who was punished and how.