Tourist Taxes in Italy and Russia

Abstract

The article deals with the legal regulation of tourist taxation in Italy with a view to improving the Russian tax system. Many European countries have adopted a tax on accommodation, also known as a tourist tax or a resort fee, in order to facilitate contribution by tourists to tourist infrastructure. This approach is currently being implemented in many countries, including those countries in the European Union which welcome a large number of tourists. Italy is one of the most popular such destinations, and has considerable experience in tourist taxation and regulation of public finances, which can serve as a useful example for the improvement of the Russian tax system. The authors point out that a nation’s laws should include a direct link between a tax resident and the location of a vacationer or a tourist. They also conclude that the imposition of the tax may affect the number of tourists in a particular municipality since they may prefer to stay in a place free from resort fees. The paper also examines and supports the imposition of the tax as a reasonable and civilized solution to the problem of damage caused to the environment by a large influx of tourists into particular territories, since it makes it possible to compensate for the damage caused. The research indicates that there is room for improvement with regard to certain provisions of the Law adopted in Russia and coming into force on 1 January 2018. In the authors’ view, the better solution would be to transfer resort fees to the budgets of those municipalities where tourists are accommodated. This would ensure the necessary tourist involvement in the public sphere, increase their responsibility and would also provide a direct link between the payment of the tax and the development of resort infrastructure.