Crimea again did not wait for the legalization of private guest houses
The bill legalizing private guesthouses has been sent back for revision. Despite assurances from the Crimean Ministry of Resorts and Tourism, there is no consensus on the approach to welcoming and accommodating tourists in the residential sector, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“This year the bill was developed,” Tatyana Lobach, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Tourism, said on NSN. “He received all the conclusions and was approved, but we held three working groups, and the bill was not introduced.
New pitfalls and currents were revealed. There are different guest houses, some rent out 3 rooms, others have 50. How will we carry out inspections in residential premises, because our legislation does not allow inspection of residential premises.
And since our Ministry of Economic Development will deal with tourism, I think that next year we will develop transparent rules.”
Lobach recalled that until 2019, guest houses operated within the framework of the law, until amendments were made to the Housing Code prohibiting the provision of hotel services in the residential sector. As a result, an already established and tax-stable business overnight lost its legal status and fell out of the legal field. Moreover, accommodation facilities in the private sector have lost the opportunity to participate in government programs and receive industry support.
“This is a niche where there is a business, but there are no rules by which it should work,” the deputy emphasized. – Mostly our self-employed people do this. We will be able to increase the number of accommodation facilities by bringing these guest houses into the legal field and increase the number of rooms. Today we do not have enough normal, civilized accommodation facilities.”
Back in February, the Minister of Resorts and Tourism of the Republic, Vadim Volchenko, assured that the law on guest houses would be adopted before the high holiday season. According to him, State Duma deputies have prepared a corresponding appeal addressed to the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, and the introduction of the concept of “guest house” as a separate accommodation facility, but not a separate building, has been worked out and agreed upon with all federal ministries. The house remains residential, but the type of permitted use of “land for guest houses” is introduced. There are about 9 thousand of them in Crimea with a capacity of 70 thousand hotel rooms. Lack of status defines such housing as rental and does not give the right to provide hotel services. In addition, a fine is imposed for the illegal use of individual housing construction lands for commercial purposes.
Crimea once again waits for the legalization of private guest houses.