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Belarus prepares proposals to support tourism amid COVID-19 pandemic

Irina Voronovich

MINSK, 9 April (BelTA) – Belarus has prepared a package of proposals to support the tourism industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic, director of the tourism department of the Sport and Tourism Ministry Irina Voronovich told journalists on 9 April, BelTA has learned.

“The Sport and Tourism Ministry together with the National Union of Tourism Industry and the National Union of Tourist Organizations has set up a task force to work out a set of measures to support the tourism industry. We realize that if we do not act in time, we will witness workforce optimization in the tourism industry, reduction in rented premises, and so on. This is why we have designed a set of measures to ensure the stable functioning of the economy in the wake of the current epidemiological situation in the world,” Irina Voronovich said.

The package will be submitted to the government. “We hope that the country will take measures to support the tourism industry,” Irina Voronovich noted.

Tourism businesses hope for an eased financial burden, first of all, tax relief, as they are getting no revenue now, Chairman of the Board of the National Union of Tourism Industry Filipp Guly remarked.

According to Chairwoman of the Council of the National Union of Tourist Organizations Oksana Bichun, the proposed measures include granting the right to suspend the fulfillment of obligations under the contract with a client, including the ones regarding a refund if a tourist refuses to make amendments to the contract.

“We would also want the government to reduce the value added tax for hotels from 20% to 10%, bank fees, and rent by at least 60%,” Oksana Bichun said.

Moreover, the tourism industry suggests introducing six-month tax holidays and a moratorium on decisions of tax authorities to freeze accounts of tourism businesses through 31 December.

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