The Russians will be refunded money for travel packages abroad, paid by them until March 31, 2020 inclusive. The corresponding order was signed on April 15 by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin.
“To return to tourists and (or) other customers the amounts paid by them for a tourist product in the field of outbound tourism under agreements on the sale of this tourist product, concluded until March 31, 2020 inclusive, from the funds of the personal liability fund of the tour operator in the field of outbound tourism on the basis of a notification on the return of the indicated sums of money presented by a tour operator operating in the field of outbound tourism to the association of tour operators in the field of outbound tourism, ”reads the order published on the official portal of legal information.
Earlier that day, it became known that the government extended and supplemented the support measures for tour operators that were in force last year. Tour operators are allowed to transfer funds to the personal liability fund of tour operators with a delay of one year – until April 15, 2022.
Also on Thursday, the Prime Minister approved the extension of the abolition of contributions to the reserve fund of the association of tour operators and a decrease in the amount of contributions to the personal liability fund.
This year, the industry also extends the opportunity to use the funds of the personal responsibility fund of tour operators to return money to tourists for canceled foreign tours that were booked before March 31, 2020 inclusive. In addition, tour operators will pay annual contributions to this fund in a reduced amount – 0.25% instead of 1% of the total price of a tourist product in the field of outbound tourism for 2020.
In February, the head of Rostourism Zarina Doguzova said that tour operators have cut debts to Russians in half for tours canceled during the coronavirus pandemic.