Uzbekistan introduces tourism duty for US$2 per person

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Hotels and tourism companies in Uzbekistan will start to pay a duty at the size of US$2 per tourist to Off-budget Tourism Development Fund from 15 October 2012.

New order is introduced in line with the governmental resolution “On measures on further support and development in tourism sector in Uzbekistan” from 10 October 2012.

The document was adopted for further development of tourism and tourism infrastructure, active promotion of national tourism services at international tourism markets.

The resolution said that resources of the off-budget fund are formed due to resources of tourism duty, which levied to tourism firms and hotels for rendering services to tourists.

According to the document, the duty will be levied from tourism entities, which render hotel services and which have licenses to carry out tourism activity. The size of duty is US$2 a day per tourist.

Tourism organizations will pay duty in Uzbek soums at the exchange rate of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. If the organizations fail to pay duty in time or fully, they will have to pay fine at the size of 0.15% from duty per day of delay.

According to the document, the resources of the fund will be directed to finance tourism programmes, preparation of investment projects in creation and development of infrastructure, training specialists, participation in international fairs and exhibitions, payment of the UNWTO membership fees, etc.