Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A resolution of the President of Uzbekistan “On additional measures for the development of the tourism sector with strict observance of the requirements of the enhanced sanitary and epidemiological safety regime” was adopted.

In accordance with the resolution, from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023, 50 percent of the amount of the tourist (hotel) fee collected for the category of accommodation according to the results of the corresponding year is returned to the means of accommodation, provided that the category assigned to the hotel is maintained in the prescribed manner.

From 1 August 2020:

- at the international airports “Andijan”, “Bukhara” and “Urgench”, in accordance with international law, the “Open Skies” mode is introduced, which envisages the abolition of restrictions on the number of flights and destinations;

- foreign airlines can operate regular flights to international airports where the Open Skies mode is introduced, regardless of the existence of intergovernmental agreements on air traffic (subject to their compliance with international standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization for ensuring flight safety and security);

- part of the costs of investors aimed at building and equipping new passenger cable cars (with the exception of those created in the territory of the Charvak free tourist zone) is compensated by funds allocated to the extrabudgetary Tourism Support Fund from the State budget in the amount of 1 billion soums for every 500 meters of the road. At the same time, part of the costs of investors for the first 50 projects is offset.

Part of the costs of business entities for the construction of accommodation facilities from prefabricated structures (yurts, containers, sandwich panels) for standard projects of the State Committee for Tourism Development and the Ministry of Construction is compensated by the State budget in the amount of up to 5 million soums for each bed, up to achievement of 50 thousand beds for this type of accommodation facilities or until 31 December 2023.

Master plans of cities and regions in the process of their development and approval must be agreed with the State Committee for Tourism Development regarding the development of tourism infrastructure.

The services of a guide (guide-translator), a guide and guide-instructors are included in the list of activities (works, services) that self-employed persons can engage in.

From 1 July 2020 to 1 July 2023, the tax rates on income, property, land tax, and value added tax for the main activity of non-state (private) museums, art galleries and handicraft centers are reduced by 50 percent of the established rates.

In accordance with the resolution “On additional measures for the development of the tourism sector with strict observance of the requirements of the enhanced sanitary and epidemiological safety regime”, a system of sanitary and epidemiological safety “Uzbekistan. Safe travel Guaranteed."

The provision of services to foreign tourists by the tour operators during the quarantine period is carried out exclusively in the objects of tourist and related infrastructure included in the register of safe objects of this system.

This system is mandatory to be implemented in facilities serving foreign tourists.

The following posts have been introduced:

Advisor to the khokim on the development of tourism and sports in Andijan, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Navoi, Syrdarya, Ferghana regions and the city of Tashkent;

Deputy Syrdarya for tourism and sports development in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khorezm regions to replace the post of deputy Syrdarya for tourism development respectively.

By the resolution of the Andijan International Airport, it was named after Zakhiriddin Muhammad Babur.

According to the resolution “On additional measures for the development of the tourism sector with strict observance of the requirements of the enhanced sanitary and epidemiological safety regime”, a Safe Tourism Fund is created with the introduction of a compensation payment mechanism in the amount of 3 thousand US dollars in case of foreign tourists being infected with coronavirus infection (COVID-19) during a trip through the territory of Uzbekistan.

According to the resolution, a plan of measures will be developed to reduce the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic and global crisis on the country’s tourism sector.

At least 10 billion soums will be allocated for the implementation of this plan of measures from the Anti-Crisis Fund in 2020.

Also, the State Committee for Tourism Development has a number of additional tasks. The Committee, in particular, will monitor the implementation of decisions taken by the Government on the development of types of tourism in the territories of reservoirs and forestry.