Most of experiencing a significant decline in demand due to pandemic COVID-19 Russian resorts will not be able to participate in the state program for the payment of cashback for tourist trips to Russia. Association of Wellness tourism and corporate health (AOD) proposes to amend the rule by which tourists under the program shall be located only in objects that have passed classification, of which no more than one third of the health centers. But for most of the state program the role of health centers in any case would be negligible.AOT appealed to the Federal tourism Agency with a proposal to provide the option of receiving cashback for resorts in the framework of the Federal program of support of domestic tourism. A copy of the letter is “b”. In AOT explain that, according to current plans, tourists will be able to receive payments only for holidays in accommodation facilities, which were provided by the law on fundamentals of tourist activities classification. This procedure is mandatory for hotels, but motels are its voluntary. Estimated AOT, the certificate was less than a third of the objects.Objects of level “three stars” and below are usually positioned as resorts with quality care and a quality criterion for them is the availability of medical license. According to Rostourism, only in Russia, about 700 of classified spas. Close to the Ministry, Kommersant’s source explained that the Agency has traditionally advocated the certification of all accommodation facilities, which facilitates the recording and analysis of the existing facilities. He believes that the situation in the future may encourage resorts to be certified.Program cashback for tourists for organized holidays in Russia, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced on July 22. According to the Association of tour operators of Russia (ATOR), the action will take up to seven days. For the purchase of rounds, involves not less than five-day stay in Russia from August 15 to December 20, paid service card “the World” tourists will be able to receive payments from the Federal budget. The tour cost 25-50 thousand rubles. on the map back 5 thousand rubles per trip by 50 to 75 thousand rubles and 10 thousand rubles, for the more expensive tours — 15 thousand rubles. the program includes all regions, but for seven of them (Republic of Altai, Kaliningrad oblast, Crimea, Sevastopol, Stavropol, Altai and Krasnodar territory) cashback is available with the purchase of tours, with arrival from 1 October. Package must include accommodation and transport services, in particular in the framework of the excursions.General Director of tour operator “Dolphin” Sergey Romashkin said that the health center isn’t the only objects that tours will not be able to participate in the program. But the top Manager believes that the share of health resorts and tourist centers in the program in any case would not have been high, accounting for about 10% of the placement. “AuditOriya resorts less dependent on cashback: this is a more expensive accommodation, which people choose medical profile, and the program is unlikely to be significantly stimulated demand,” he says.But Mr. Romashkin admits that this season the situation of the health centers was worse than in hotels: the number of bookings in the part of the relevant regions at 25-30% below last year. The dynamics of such a top Manager associated with the necessity to provide a certificate of the epidemiological environment and the age of the audience. “In the segment, a lot of customers over 65 years of age, they are afraid to travel because of the risk of infection COVID-19”,— says Sergey Romashkin. In AOT indicate that in the current situation, visible support for the industry would increase demand by 10%.This idea was previously made by the tour operators. Estimated ATOR, through the Agency of some market participants to sell up to 60% of the rounds. In tourism, explained that the participation of agents in the program, tour operators must independently, for example by using special personal accounts for their own sites.But Mr. Romashkin warns that time to develop solutions the market a bit: “Rather, it will focus on the fact that the agents in the presence of the tourist will be using his card to book a tour on the website of the operator making some notation in the notes”. An additional constraint for market participants is that participating in the payment cashback tour operators will not be able to support other state programs this year. So the action becomes less interesting for the big players with its own flight program, which relies on subsidising Charter flights.Alexandra Mertsalova
