Mining concerns: revenues to the treasury from the tourist tax have doubled
Traveling in Russia is increasingly filling not only hotels, but also local budgets. In almost eight months, the tourist tax has brought municipalities about 7 billion rubles, compared to 3 billion a year earlier. Receipts are growing due to the expansion of the collection geography, an increase in the rate to 2% and an increase in the flow. Every seventh ruble went to the North Caucasus, where investments are growing along with the number of visitors. The Izvestia correspondent saw how a new cluster was being built from scratch on the shores of the Caspian Sea, walked along the mountain trails of Chechnya, descended to the azure waters of the Sulak Canyon and found out what was behind the tourist boom in the region. How travelers are changing the region's economy and whether Dagestan and Chechnya have managed to recover from the spring floods — in the Caucasian News report.
Tour tax in 2026
Since the beginning of 2026, the tourist tax has brought 7 billion rubles to local budgets, almost 2.5 times more than a year earlier. The fee, which municipalities received the right to introduce in 2025, continues to expand: at that time it was valid in 65 regions, now it is already in 74.
From January 1 to August 20, 2026, receipts reached 7 billion against more than 3 billion in the same period last year, the press service of the Ministry of Finance told Izvestia. According to the agency's forecast, by the end of the year the amount will grow to 10.4 billion.
One of the reasons for this dynamic is the expansion of the tax geography, explained Veniamin Kaganov, Head of the Department of Tourism and Hotel Business at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. In 2026, the fee was introduced by new municipalities, including major tourist centers — Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Tyumen. At the same time, it is not yet universally valid. Among the federal districts, the tax covers all subjects of the North Caucasus and North-Western districts.
The second factor is an increase in the rate from 1% to 2% in 2026, Veniamin Kaganov added. The minimum amount is 100 rubles per day.
Receipts are also growing due to the demand for travel around the country, said Inna Ryndina, Commercial Director of the Russian Seasons hotel group. According to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and the head of the Ministry of Economy Maxim Reshetnikov, in January-June, the domestic tourist flow increased by 4.3%, and inbound — by 20.1%. The more guests there are and the higher the cost of accommodation, the more funds municipalities receive, the expert explained.
For tourist regions, 7 billion rubles is a significant amount, Inna Ryndina emphasized. According to her, it is important for businesses to see that this money is being used for infrastructure, landscaping and transport accessibility. Such investments can start a positive cycle: an increase in tourist flow increases the income of territories, and their development attracts new travelers and investors.
This potential is especially noticeable in the North Caucasus, Inna Ryndina believes. The region is suitable for year—round tourism - skiing, recreational, cultural and gastronomic. The development of infrastructure and high-quality accommodation facilities makes it more attractive for both tourists and investors.
How the North Caucasus attracts investments
In three years, the tourist flow to the North Caucasus has increased by 40%. The resorts of Kavminvod and the Caspian coast of Dagestan have become one of the main points of attraction. The Izvestia correspondent saw how the tourism boom was changing the region during a trip organized by the TASS and Mineka project "This is the Caucasus."
The scale of transformations is measured in hundreds of billions. Since 2021, 109 breakthrough projects have been implemented in seven regions of the North Caucasus Federal District in 39 priority areas — from tourism and agriculture to industry, infrastructure and services, according to the ministry. They have already invested almost 600 billion and created more than 32,000 jobs.
One of the future points of attraction appears right on the shore of the Caspian Sea. A tourist SEZ "Caspian Coastal Cluster" is being built in the Derbent region of Dagestan, which is planned to be completed in the fall of 2027. 16 agreements worth 61 billion rubles have already been signed. A construction participant told Izvestia that the site was chosen because of the clear sea and virtually untouched coastline. Hotels, shops and restaurants should appear here. A federal highway is being built in parallel, which will shorten the road from major cities to the coast.
A completely different Caucasus opens up in Chechnya. Our group found Veduchi, the first ski resort in the republic, out of season. There is no snow, but behind the cable cars there are green mountains all the way to the horizon. So far, the infrastructure is compact — two hotels and a small children's playground. But all around there is the abandoned village of Nikaroy, the Nihaloy waterfalls and the Tsoi-Pede necropolis.
In winter, there are more than 14 km of ski trails and five cable cars, introduced by Kavkaz.RF. In summer, the region can literally be traversed with your feet: the total length of the ecotrope exceeds 30 km.
One of them, the "Health Trail", feels comfortable even in the heat: a well—trodden path winds among green slopes and wildflowers, it is almost impossible to get lost. Lizards are found along the way, and bears are found here from the larger local fauna. The noise of the city remains far below, surrounded only by mountains and silence.
There is a huge investment behind this picture. Veduchi residents have already invested more than 6.5 billion rubles and plan to send over 8 billion more. The plans include a new hotel and the development of the northern and southern ski slopes.
Tourism is becoming a driver of the entire regional economy: it creates demand in related industries, stimulates investment, employment and small business, said Ekaterina Kosareva, Managing Partner of VMT Consult. With government support, the natural and cultural potential of the North Caucasus can turn the industry into one of the key sources of long-term growth, the expert believes.
Why else do tourists come to the North Caucasus
Dagestan has more than 6,000 cultural monuments, and natural and historical sites allow for the development of tourism almost throughout the republic, Fyodor Shchukin, acting head of the region, told reporters. According to the relevant ministry, in six years the tourist flow has more than doubled — from 850 thousand people in 2020 to about 2 million in 2025, and the volume of tourist services — from 4 billion to 23.6 billion rubles. It's not just Russians who come here: there are tourists from China and the UAE among the foreign guests, Fyodor Shchukin added.
One of the main points on the map is ancient Derbent and the Naryn-Kala fortress. Behind the stone walls, time seemed to have stopped: from here it is easy to mentally travel back centuries to the time of the shahs, khans and the Sasanian Empire.
Throughout its history, Naryn-Kala belonged to different states and defended the so-called Caspian Gate for a long time. Today it is a museum complex, where the ruins of a palace, ancient reservoirs, Khan baths and a Zindan — an underground prison several meters deep - have been preserved. Even centuries later, the fortress still looks like it's not easy to take it by storm.
From antiquity, straight to the extreme. The Sulak Canyon stretches for 53 km, and its depth reaches 1.5 thousand m. Over the azure water, they offer to fly on a zipline, jump from an 80-meter bungee jump or walk along swinging boards 60 m above the canyon. We wisely skipped the first two options, but went to the grotto in hard hats so that the acquaintance with the rocks would not turn out to be too close.
The most popular option is a boat trip. The route can be chosen calmly or with a breeze, everyone is given life jackets. However, you still don't want to be overboard: the water is cold, and there are dozens of meters of depth under it. But the splashes are worth it: the boats pass between steep cliffs and past waterfalls.
After that, the appetite comes quickly. The Glavryba complex with trout farming operates on Sulak: you can catch the fish yourself, after which it will be cooked on the spot. We skipped fishing and went straight to the most enjoyable stage — fresh trout with a view of the azure water.
In Grozny, the impressions are already different. From the observation deck of the Grozny City complex (30th floor of the building), almost the entire city is visible, and mountains loom on the horizon. Another point of attraction is the Heart of Chechnya Mosque, whose architecture is inspired by Istanbul's Blue Mosque. The marble, huge dome, four minarets and massive chandeliers are particularly impressive from the inside. The space is divided into male and female parts, and thousands of believers come here to pray on Fridays.
But the Caucasus is remembered not only by the views. The table covered with food here is almost as much an element of the landscape as the mountains. Locals say that according to tradition, even an unfamiliar guest is supposed to be fed and, if necessary, left for the night. The participants of the trip thoroughly experienced the gastronomic part.
In Dagestan, this is khinkal, a dough boiled in meat broth and served with meat and sauce. There are more than a dozen variations: Avar — fluffy lozenges on kefir, Darginsky — layered, Lezginsky — thin squares of dough. Kurze, chudu and Kalmyk tea with milk, butter and spices are added to it. In Chechnya, there is zhizhig-galnash with dumplings in the shape of shells, garlic sauce and broth, chepalgash tortillas and siskal crumpets.
We tried almost everything. A couple of extra pounds seemed inevitable — fortunately, the Caucasus offers enough mountain trails to leave them there.
Has the North Caucasus Federal District managed to cope with the consequences of the flood
In the spring of 2026, the development of tourism in the North Caucasus was hampered by the elements. Due to heavy rains and floods, an emergency regime was introduced in a number of regions. In Dagestan and Chechnya, water damaged thousands of houses, dozens of bridges and roads, utilities and electrical networks.
The tourism industry also felt the impact. In Dagestan, after the flood, the flow of travelers decreased: people refused tours and changed tickets, said acting head of the region Fedor Shchukin, answering a question from a correspondent of Izvestia. However, the decline proved to be short-lived. According to him, the emergency affected four districts locally, while the vast majority of tourist routes and accommodation were not affected. The flow of guests is now recovering.
Dagestan and Chechnya will receive 2.5 billion to eliminate the consequences of the disaster, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at the end of July. The funds will be used for the primary needs of residents, the restoration of schools and kindergartens, the clearing of rivers, as well as the construction of 35 km of dams. The latter should strengthen the shores and reduce the risks of new floods.
The situation with small and medium-sized businesses after the spring emergency is now generally stable, said Fyodor Shchukin. However, it is more difficult to assess the real damage: a significant part of the region's economy, especially small businesses, remains in the shadows. The authorities are working on this problem, the acting head of Dagestan added. According to official statistics, business losses so far look insignificant, while assistance to those affected continues. Infrastructure restoration is especially important for tourist regions: roads, landscaping, and utilities are needed by both locals and travelers.
Today, the North Caucasus is changing literally before our eyes: a future resort is appearing on the empty shore of the Caspian Sea, highways and ecotropics are being built in the mountains, and roads and bridges that survived the spring disaster are being restored. Hundreds of billions of rubles of investments have already been invested behind the views of ancient fortresses, turquoise canyons and green slopes. And the growing tourist flow is starting to bring money to the territories by itself, including through the tourist tax.
It turns out to be a kind of cycle: the Caucasus attracts travelers with its nature, history and hospitality, tourists leave money here, and the region gets the opportunity to invest it in its further development. And if this mechanism works, the path from a beautiful view outside the window of a tourist bus to a stable economy will not be so long for the North Caucasus.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
