Krasnodar Territory plans to pass a bill on tax benefits for sanatoriums before the summer starts, RIA Novosti reports.
The region has 1576 large accommodation facilities and 17,000-19,000 minor ones, mainly private hotels. The large ones have a share of 96% in tax collection, minor ones have 4%. Yevgeny Kudel, head of the Regional Department for Complex Development of Resorts and Tourism, believes that the government should give more support for large and medium-scale enterprises that pay about 2 million rubles annually.
Kudel said that most guest houses have 100 or more rooms, but hardly pay taxes, because they are not officially registered for exploitation. Such business is very profitable. Owners of guest houses pay no taxes but keep building new houses.
The regional administration expects to pass amendments to the law on tourism, which are currently in the first reading, to introduce obligatory classification of hotels.
Kudel noted that he receive numerous complaints about poor accommodation standards from tourists all the time. He said that they will pass a classification of private houses with over 5 rooms this year. All residential buildings must undergo the classification in the light of the upcoming Olympic Games in Sochi.
A fine of 500 rubles for illegally running a mini-hotel is too low. Violators can pay such a fine all season instead of improving the quality of their services, Kudel explains.
