The new Law on Tourism and Stay Tax suggests the abolition of tourist fee so that economy would be disburdened, i.e. with the aim of reducing parafiscal imposts.
This is in accordance with the document “Economic Reforms Program” adopted by the FBiH Government for the period 2016-2018, stated the federal Minister of Environment and Tourism Edita Đapo.
Economic Reforms Program for the period 2016-2018 is actually an improved version of the Economic and Fiscal Program, which used to be submitted by the countries who are potential candidates for membership in the EU. “Main structural obstacles for growth on the FBiH level identified in the Reform Agenda are, among others, unfavorable business climate and investment competitiveness, as well as a large number of parafiscal imposts,” Đapo said.
In accordance with that, the pertinent ministry also suggested the adoption of a new law on stay tax, in addition to the new law on tourism and the law on hospitality activities.
“Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism is following the Reform Agenda and works on disburdening businessmen. New laws in the field of tourism oblige all entities who are engaged in any kind of tourist hospitality activity to register and pay the stay taxes, so that generated income and investments in the promotion of tourism would stay the same,” Đapo explained.
Expectations are, Đapo said, that these laws will lead to significant decrease of grey economy, increase in inspection monitoring, as well as to a more fair distribution of income generated from tourism. According to Đapo, the largest portion of the funds will belong to the local community, i.e. municipalities, and the lesser portion will go to the FBiH and the cantons.
“In this way, the largest amounts of money will return to where the money was generated in the first place,” Đapo said.
Moreover, the new law on tourism will tighten criteria for those who want to be tour guides and those who are not in the database will not be allowed to guide tourists. Tourist guides would take a unique exam which would enable them unhindered work in the entire FBiH.
Categorization of hotels and other hospitality facilities will also be monitored more strictly, those with four or five stars from the federal level and those with two or three stars from the cantonal level.
(Source: radiosarajevo.ba/photo: radiosarajevo.ba)
