Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In order to ensure the competitiveness of hotels after the end of the pandemic period, as well as to stimulate them to acquire a star category, according to the decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan from 19 June 2020 No. 4755 “On additional measures to develop the tourism sector in strict observance of the requirements of the enhanced sanitary and epidemiological safety regime ", in the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023, 50 percent of the amount of the tourist (hotel) tax collected for the category of the accommodation facility at the end of the corresponding year is refunded, provided that the category assigned to the hotel in due course.

For example, the hotel received a three-star category in 2020, and retained it until 2021. If a tourist tax of 15 percent of the basic calculation for each day of stay of a foreign visitor was charged before the category, then after receiving the category, a tourist tax of 21 percent of the basic calculation was charged.

At the end of the year, this hotel will be refunded half of 6 percent of the base calculation, which was calculated on the account of the three-star category. In addition, in order to support entrepreneurs who are in a difficult situation and who want to get a category, in accordance with paragraph 4, (subparagraph "d" "of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 6002 from 28 May 2020 “On urgent measures to support the tourism sector in order to reducing the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic”, until 1 June 2021, in order to obtain the category of hotels or increase the existing category, it is envisaged to cover the costs of renovation, reconstruction and updating of the material and technical base for each category of 3, 4 and 5 stars, with the condition of maintaining the subsequently assigned category within 3 years in the amount of 5, 10 and 15 million soums.

Based on the norms and mitigations adopted in the above documents, aimed at creating a healthy competitive environment in the tourism market of our country and improving the quality of services provided, the Uzbek Tourism Committee urges entrepreneurs to effectively use the opportunities and increase the competitiveness of the services provided.