Russian President Vladimir Putin has just signed into law instruments that will greatly improve Russia’s tourism product. These instruments address prices, emergency aid, and setting up a personal liability fund by and for tourism operators. The move is seen as a positive one in lieu of the forthcoming FIFA World Cup.
According to the news from Moscow, these new laws help to clarify tour operator roles and responsibilities with regard to outbound, inbound and (or) domestic tourism. The new federal law also establishes a procedure for the release of the tour operator activity in the sphere of outbound tourism, from financial security of tour operator contributions to the personal liability fund, but includes a clause that allows the Federal tourism agency to exclude from the register of tour operators for activities the agency deems “unscrupulous” etc. The law shall enter into force 90 days after the date of its official publication.
Meanwhile, the first FIFA World Cup football championship in Russia will be held from June 14 to July 15 in 11 cities of the country including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saransk, Yekaterinburg, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don and Sochi. The first foreign fans have already begun to arrive, and it has been announced that all 12 sports facilities for the World Cup matches are fully prepared to welcome players and fans.