The Draft Law on Tourism of FBiH has been determined

The Government of the Federation of BiH has determined the Draft Law on Tourism of FBiH. This law, proposed by the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, regulates the planning and development of tourism in FBiH, incentive measures, conditions and manner of performing tourism activities, and tourism entities, travel agencies, travel guides and agents, escorts and animators. It also regulates services in tourism, its promotion and improvement, tourist boards for promotion, tourism register, and inspection and other issues of importance for the development and improvement of tourism.

Tourism planning and development is realized through documents, namely tourism development strategy, promotion plan, master and marketing plan, and tourism product development program.

The Tourism Development Strategy is adopted for the territory of the Federation of BiH and it determines the goals and priorities of development of this sector, the manner of their realization, financial and institutional framework for implementation, and monitoring, evaluation and reporting. The strategy is adopted by the FBiH Parliament at the proposal of the FBiH Government. In doing so, the Government may propose to the Parliament the adoption of a strategy adopted at the level of BiH as a sectoral strategic framework of the FBiH.

The proposal of the FBiH Tourism Promotion Plan is prepared by the FBiH Tourist Board and submitted to the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and is adopted by the FBiH Government on an annual basis. The master plan, adopted by the FBiH Government at the proposal of the Federal Ministry, refers to a priority tourist destination in accordance with the needs of the FBiH, cantons and local self-government units. Tourist boards, in accordance with the promotion plan, adopt an annual marketing plan which defines their promotional activities in tourism.

Tourism services are defined as the provision of travel agency services, tourist professions (tourist guide, companion, animator, agent), and services in health, congress, religious, youth, rural, hunting, fishing, adventure, winter and other forms of tourism.

Tourist activity is performed by legal and natural persons registered in the registers for performing that activity and who meet the conditions for providing tourist services.

According to the explanation of the relevant federal ministry, the drafting of the Law on Tourism in FBiH was started after analyzing the situation on the tourism market and considering the problems faced by actors in the tourism industry, as well as other entities directly engaged in tourism-related activities. The need to reduce the gray economy was especially pointed out, as well as the implementation of the judgment of the Constitutional Court of the FBiH of July 3, 2014. year in which the Law on Tourist Boards and the Promotion of Tourism in the FBiH was declared unconstitutional. The reason for drafting the Law on Tourism of the Federation of BiH, explained, among other things, is the obligation to adjust domestic laws to the rules of the World Tourism Organization and the best practices of European Union countries.

The Draft Law on Sojourn Tax of FBiH has been determined

At the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Government of FBiH determined the Proposal of the Law on Sojourn Tax of FBiH. This regulation regulates the basic concepts related to the sojourn tax, the obligation to pay the sojourn tax, taxpayers and the manner of payment of the sojourn tax, and its amount. The collection, payment and distribution of funds from the sojourn tax, as well as supervision, as well as penal, transitional and final provisions are also regulated.

The person liable to pay the Borvish tax is a domestic or foreign citizen who uses the service of an overnight stay in a catering facility for accommodation, then the owner of the vessel and any person staying on that vessel that is moored in the port. Foreign citizens pay the sojourn tax under the same conditions and in the same amount as domestic citizens.

The sojourn tax is the revenue of the Federation of BiH, cantons and local self-government units that is distributed to the Tourist Board of the Federation of BiH, as well as to the tourist boards of cantons, cities and municipalities.

The draft law also provides for exemptions from the payment of the sojourn tax, or its payment in a reduced amount. As prescribed, until the decision of the Government of FBiH, the amount of sojourn tax is determined in the amount of 2.00 KM for each night spent.

Exceptionally, after the completion of the procedure for declaring tourist places in accordance with regulations in the field of tourism, the amount of sojourn tax is determined depending on the classification of the local government unit as a tourist place, so its amount 2.5 KM to 3 KM for each night spent.

Funds collected on the basis of the sojourn tax are distributed in such a way that 80 percent belongs to the budget of the local self-government unit, and ten percent to the budgets of the cantons and FBiH.

Funds collected on this basis are used exclusively for the implementation of program activities to promote and improve tourism, development and improvement of the tourist offer, then the procurement of promotional materials, ie providing information and propaganda activities to promote tourist values, as well as setting up and maintaining tourist signs .

The explanation of the law states that its drafting was approached bearing in mind that the Law on Tourist Boards and the Promotion of Tourism in the FBiH was declared unconstitutional in 2014. Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, as the processor, undertook activities to draft a new law, respecting the provisions of the FBiH Constitution regarding competencies in the field of tourism. Therefore, a public debate on the Draft Law on Sojourn Tax was held for 60 days, and in accordance with the conclusions of both houses of the FBiH Parliament.

Link: https://fbihvlada.gov.ba/bs/utvrden-prijedlog-zakona-o-turizmu-fbih