Tourism will be supported by new benefits and subsidies

Tourism will be supported by new benefits and subsidies

The presidential decree provides subsidies for the construction of cable cars, guest houses in rural areas, as well as tax incentives for private museums, galleries, and handicraft centers. Hotels can return 50% of the charged amount if the "category" is retained.

On June 19, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree “On additional measures to develop the tourism sector in strict compliance with the requirements of an enhanced sanitary and epidemiological safety regime,” the "Uzbekistan 24" TV channel reported.

It turned out that in a pandemic, 33 domestic hotels lost their "categories": 2 hotels lost their "5 stars", 11 - "4 stars", 18 - "3 stars", 2 - "2 stars", 4 more hotels have reduced their categories ...

It is noted that if the category is retained from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023, hotels will be refunded 50% of the amount charged for these categories. Due to this, 29 hotels will have additional funds in the amount of 3 billion soums at their disposal, the TV channel said.

They also reported that 90 domestic hotels provided the Trivago.com reservation system with inaccurate information about their category.

“As a result, I can imagine the reaction of a foreign tourist who, together with 4 stars, received not the best quality services. The image of the country as a whole naturally suffers from this. Therefore, such pseudo-activity may end up for the hotelier with the loss of the license until all the shortcomings are eliminated, "- said in the report" Uzbekistan 24 ".

Reportedly, there are 7 cable cars in operation in Uzbekistan. To increase their number, the document also defines a mechanism for subsidizing investors in the event that a cable car is commissioned by December 31, 2023 with a length of at least 500 m.For every half a kilometer, the Tourism Development Fund will cover 1 billion soums. Thus, for the first 50 projects, investors can count on "solid compensation", the report says.

Compensation can also be obtained for the construction of accommodation facilities with pre-fabricated structures (yurt, containers, sandwich panels) for standard projects in rural areas. The regime of such subsidies will last until 50 thousand seats are reached or until December 31, 2023. The amount of coverage will be 5 million soums per seat.

Moreover, from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023, private museums, galleries, handicraft centers will pay 50% of the income and land tax rates, as well as turnover tax.

Guides-translators and tour guides will be classified as self-employed and will receive similar pension and seniority rights.

Earlier, a decree was also signed "On urgent measures to support the tourism sector to reduce the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic" to "reanimate" tourism in Uzbekistan. Benefits and subsidies include a 50% reduction in the profit tax rate, the right to carry forward losses, suspension of tourist tax, premium subsidies for tourists brought in, subsidizing the costs of tour operators for air and train tickets, and others.

In addition, from August 1, at all regional airports of Uzbekistan, the "Open Skies" regime is introduced for a period of two years with the possibility of extension.

Source: gazeta.uz