Hoteliers oppose introduction of resort fee in Stavropol Territory

As an experiment, since March 1, 2017, they plan to introduce the resort fee in Kislovodsk, Zheleznovodsk, Yessentuki and Pyatigorsk. However, hotel owners fear that it will drop the tourist flow.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 23, 2015, it became known that the Ministry for Northern Caucasus had prepared a bill on imposing the resort fee for "using the resort infrastructure." It was planned to collect 150 roubles per day per person in the four above resorts of Caucasian Mineral Waters.

Most residents of the region, employed in the resort (spa) industry, are against the new fee, said Marianna Mirzoeva, the owner of a private hotel in the city of Yessentuki.

According to her story, hoteliers "are experiencing rather heavy tax burden." She suggested that the fee "will frighten off tourists, and vouchers will rise in price by 10-15%."

Victor Chirva, a hotel manager from Kislovodsk, believes that because of the fee resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters will lose a certain part of tourists.

However, he noted that the "tourist industry players will have to observe the law of the resort fee."

The press service of the Russian Federal Tourist Agency claims that regional authorities "themselves have the right to decide whether to introduce the resort fee or not."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.