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- All the best for children: in Russia they want to bring back travel cashback for families
All the best for children: in Russia they want to bring back travel cashback for families
In Russia it is proposed to return tourist cashback for families with children. The initiative was addressed to the Cabinet of Ministers by the Federation Council's Committee on Regulations. Until 2030, according to the specialized national project, the tourist flow in Russia should double - up to 140 million people a year. The measure will theoretically help to stimulate citizens, but the budget may not find money for the implementation of this initiative, experts say.
When Russians can return the tourist cacheback program
In Russia it is proposed to return the tourist cashback for families with children, as well as when paying for children's vacations. Such a proposal to the government is contained in the recommendations of the Committee of the SF on regulations on the results of the round table devoted to the implementation of the President's instructions on the development of domestic tourism.
The document reports that by 2030 the tourist flow in the Russian Federation should double - up to 140 million people a year. At the same time, the contribution of tourism to Russia's GDP should also grow twice - up to 5%. Such tasks were previously set in the national project "Tourism and Hospitality Industry", implemented on the initiative of the President.
In all national parks of the country in five years an infrastructure of ecological tourism should be created, including eco-trails and hiking trails, including weekend routes for schoolchildren, recreation areas, museums and visitor centers.
However, the senators believe that there are a number of issues that deserve increased attention for the development of the industry. These include the deficit of tourist accommodation and infrastructure, increasing the accessibility of recreation, including for families with children.
In 2020, a general tourist cashback program of 20% of the amount of the trip was launched, it was valid until 2022. It was used by 4.3 million people, of which more than 2.2 million - in 2022. In 2021, the authorities introduced an additional targeted program of tourist cacheback for families with children, it was valid until 2022 and assumed the return to the card "Mir" 50% of the cost of trips, but not more than 20 thousand rubles. In total, the state allocated more than 15 billion rubles for partial compensation of expenses for the purchase of tours in the Russian Federation. The reasons for the refusal to prolong both programs were not officially named. The Ministry of Finance did not include in the draft federal budget for 2023-2025 the proposals of Rosturizm on expenditures of 5 billion rubles annually for tourist cashback. Although the programs were not officially closed and it was said about their resumption in the next years. Experts voiced the opinion that the termination of funding was the result of a shortage of funds.
- In the President's address in February 2024, a comprehensive program for the development of the country until 2030 was presented, in which Vladimir Putin paid special attention to the development of domestic tourism," Oleg Zemtsov, a member of the SF Committee on Regulations, explained to Izvestia the reasons for the round table.
According to him, in order to achieve the stated goals - doubling of domestic tourist flow up to 140 million people a year and doubling the contribution of tourism to Russia's GDP (up to 5%) - the coordinated work of the executive and legislative authorities to create the organizational and legal framework for such development is necessary.
- The recommendations prepared to the agencies are aimed not only at supporting the industry, but also at increasing the accessibility of domestic tourism for citizens, as well as at increasing the level of consumer protection from various unfair practices. Special attention should be paid to the measure of support for the return of cashback for families with children. It is important to make the vacation become available for the younger generation, as the health of our nation and demography depends on it,- said Oleg Zemtsov.
The initiative of senators is supported in the specialized committee of the State Duma on the development of tourism and tourism infrastructure.
- I believe that the cashback mechanism has proved itself as an effective tool for the development of the industry. The only thing is that earlier it was aimed at all categories of the population, so it turned out that some people needed it, and some did not and the money was allocated in vain, - explained "Izvestia" head of the committee Sangadzhi Tarbayev.
But if this mechanism is targeted, aimed at families with children or socially unprotected citizens, it will be a very effective support measure, he believes.
"Izvestia" sent requests to the press service of the government, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance to comment on the prospects of support measures for the development of the tour industry.
Why keshback has affected the development of tourism in Russia
The parliamentarians' proposal for the return of cashback coincides with the industry's proposals, Yuri Barzykin, vice-president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST), told Izvestia.
- At one time, cashback, especially for children's tourism, gave a serious impetus to the development of the industry. As we remember, it was the President who initiated its emergence. Thanks to it millions of children who could pay only 50% of the cost of the trip were able to have a vacation, - explained the representative of the business.
According to him, according to the forecasts of the Ministry of Economic Development, this year the tourist flow will increase to 92 million people. It is realistic to fulfill the goal to increase it to 140 million by 2030, as it is stipulated in the National Project, but for this the industry needs support. Such measures are being taken, but it is cashback that would play an important role, taking into account the rising cost of accommodation and travel, he emphasized.
- At 200% we will support the return of cashback for families with children. Thanks to it, almost twice as many children have vacationed in Russia than before this proposal was initiated," Sergey Golov, president of the Union of Travel Agencies, member of the Tourism Coordination Council at the Public Chamber, told Izvestia.
According to him, an important function of the cacheback is that it gives an opportunity to check the business that provides children's vacations, as companies must provide a whole set of documents, including on safety.
At the same time, Sergei Golov believes that it will be possible to double or triple the tourist flow in Russia only when the desire of travelers will match the ability of regions to provide reimbursement facilities. So far there is not enough of them, so we need either investment in the industry, or preferential loans or special taxation for it, says the business representative.
The tourism industry needs support measures, and the cashback program helped significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dmitry Gorin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vipservice Holding, explained to Izvestia.
- Now, taking into account the increased demand and overheated market, measures should be precise and targeted. Therefore, just now a certain social aspect in support is important, as it is now in subsidizing air travel for pensioners, disabled people, large families. If there is money in the federal budget for cashback, it can only be welcomed," explained the business representative.
Oleg Pavlov, the head of the public council at Rospotrebnadzor, the head of the Public Consumer Initiative, believes that the return of cashback will have a positive impact on the development of the industry, but also drew attention to other problems that need to be solved.
- Now there is a certain deficit of accommodation facilities in the market. This negatively affects consumers both in terms of quality and safety of services and their cost. Therefore, in our opinion, the main task is to saturate the market with supply. That is, it is necessary to create new tourist clusters, hotels, etc.," the public activist explained.
According to him, the second important problem is the initiative to introduce non-refundable rates in hotels, when a person loses a place if he or she does not check in on time. This is unfair and will have a negative impact on competition and consumers' willingness to travel, as the reasons for non-accommodation can be quite different. Therefore, such initiatives should be abandoned.
Georgy Ostapkovich, Director of the Center for Conjunctural Research of the Institute of Economic Research of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, believes that the senators' wishes are good, but the budget may lack funds for their implementation in the current economic situation. According to him, the Ministry of Finance will have the last word in this matter and will have to give its assessment of these expenditures.
