Rules of payment of tourist fee for foreigners approved in Kazakhstan

Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin signed a decree approving the Rules for paying the tourist fee for foreigners, we transmit in this article with reference to the official information resource of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. "In accordance with subparagraph 10-4) of Article 10 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Tourism Activities in the Republic of Kazakhstan", the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan decides: Approve the attached Rules for paying the Tourist fee for Foreigners. This resolution comes into force on January 1, 2022 and is subject to official publication," the document says. The rules for paying the tourist fee for foreigners were approved by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated November 5, 2021. According to the document, the tourist fee for foreigners is charged for every day of stay in tourist accommodation, with the exception of hostels, guest houses, rental housing in cities and districts. The amount of the tourist fee charged for foreigners is not included in the price of accommodation. Tourist contribution rates for foreigners are developed by the local executive body and submitted for approval to the relevant maslikhat. The following rates apply to the tourist fee for foreigners in tourist accommodation: from January 1 to December 31, 2022 inclusive – zero percent of the cost of stay; from January 1, 2023 - no more than five percent of the cost of stay. The calculation of tourist contribution rates for foreigners is carried out on the basis of up-to-date statistical data of the last calendar year. In case of a decrease in the number of foreign tourists in tourist accommodation compared to the same period of the last calendar year, the following rates of tourist fee for foreigners are applied: up to 5 percent – in the amount of five percent of the cost of stay; from 5 to 10 percent – in the amount of four percent of the cost of stay; from 10 to 15 percent – in the amount of three percent of the cost of stay; from 15 to 20 percent – in the amount of two percent of the cost of stay; from 20 percent and above – in the amount of one percent of the cost of stay. In case of an increase in the number of foreign tourists in tourist accommodation compared to the same period of the last calendar year, the following rates of tourist fee for foreigners are applied: up to five – in the amount of one percent of the cost of stay; from five to ten percent – in the amount of two percent of the cost of stay; from 10 to 15 percent – in the amount of three percent of the cost of stay; from 15 to 20 percent – in the amount of four percent of the cost of stay; from 20 percent and above – in the amount of five percent of the cost of stay. During the year, the tourist fee rates for foreigners are differentiated depending on current statistical data or seasonality. For a part-day stay of foreigners in tourist accommodation, the tourist fee for foreigners is charged as for a full day of stay. The collection of the tourist fee for foreign citizens is carried out by operators at the time of registration of foreigners in tourist accommodation places upon presentation of their identity documents. At the same time, operators inform foreigners about the tourist fee charged for foreigners for each day of stay before their registration at tourist accommodation. When foreigners leave tourist accommodation, operators issue documents confirming the fact of payment of the tourist fee for foreigners. The tourist fee for foreigners is a non-tax receipt to the budget of the city of republican significance, the capital and districts (cities of regional significance). Operators keep records of the paid tourist fee for foreigners and quarterly, no later than the tenth day of the month following the reporting quarter, transfer the amounts received from the tourist fee for foreigners to the local budget. The local executive body quarterly, no later than the 25th day of the first month of the next quarter, sends to the authorized body information about the payment of the tourist fee for foreigners during the quarter, including foreigners registered through the e-Hotel information system (e-Qonaq). Recall that tourist contributions began to be discussed back in 2019. It was said that the project will be aimed at the development of tourism in Kazakhstan. His goal is to switch to market conditions.