The bill on tourism passed the first reading at a meeting of the fifth session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the seventh convocation, BelTA has learned.
The bill was introduced to the House of Representatives on 18 May 2020. It is designed to fine-tune the mechanism of tourism business in Belarus, to improve the legal situation of citizens who are consumers of tourist services. The bill is based on the norms of the existing regulations, takes into account the current state of public relations in the tourism sector, the dynamics of their development.
Sport and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk noted the bill is important as there are a number of problems in the current legislation. “For example, more emphasis should have been made on consumer protection. For several years we had a number of cases when travel companies took money from tourists and vanished while tourists were left alone without tours and without money. As an example I can cite Aurora Tour, Calypso Tours and Natalie Tours, which were the biggest incidents in the Belarusian market causing damage over €1 million," he said.
According to the minister, the coronavirus pandemic has further exposed the problems which the bill is designed to address.
For example, it suggests updating and supplementing the conceptual framework, determining the powers in the field of tourism of the Council of Ministers, the Sport and Tourism Ministry, local executive and administrative bodies, local councils of deputies. One of the legal innovations of the bill is the introduction of such mechanism as financial guarantees of liability of tour operators providing international outbound tourism services.
Thus, the bill suggests three forms of such guarantees which are variable in nature - the contract of voluntary insurance of the responsibility of the tour operator for causing property damage to the customer (a participant of tourist activities) in connection with inability of a tour operator to fulfill obligations under a contract for tourist services in the field of international outbound tourism; effective agreement between a tour operator and a bank (or other financial institution) that provides for tour operator's liability to fulfill its obligations under the agreement for tourism services by issuing a bank guarantee; tour operator's participation in establishing a liability fund of tour operators.
Some novelties are aimed at increasing tour operators' liability to meet their obligations to manage sold tours. The bill sets forth that the executor of the contract for tourist services is the tour operator that developed the tour. The program of the tour should contain information about the tour operator, its financial security for civil liability, and the procedure for applying for refund losses in case the tour operator is unable to fulfill its obligations under the contract for tourist services.
“The bill makes a distinction between the terms ‘tour operator' and ‘travel agent'. In the past, travel agents, acting as intermediaries, sold tours and had full responsibility for failure to meet obligations. Now travel operators that develop tours will be responsible for failure to fulfill their obligations to the client,” Member of the Standing Commission on Health, Physical Culture, Family and Youth Policy of the House of Representatives Pavel Mikhalyuk added.
Another novelty introduced in the bill is the opportunity to sign a contract on rendering tourist services in the digital form. “This will make it easier for tour operators and clients to work with each other,” he pointed out.
Other amendments concern tour guide services. They allow for the opportunity to conclude a contract on rendering tour guide services in the digital form, ban activities of tour guides and escort interpreters who do not have professional certification proving their qualifications, and regulate the use of audio tour guides (mobile devices).
Answer:
Dear Shivendu Paul and Metali Listeners' Club,
dthank you for your comment! We'll send you some of our souvenirs ASAP.
Stay tuned and 73,
RBI
Hallo Radio Belarus,
ja der Dieter Leupold ist jetzt auch hier im Gästebuch vertreten... Super, bald sind wir alle zusammen hier im "Belarus Hörerclub", Dieter könnte 1.Vorsitzender werden und Jana und Elena Ehrernmitglieder, Helmut Matt Schriftführer, Alfred Albrecht Beisitzer und ich mache Hausmeister:-) Lutz Winkler wie fit bist Du bereits wieder, für Dich finden wir auch eine nette Aufgabe:-) Beste Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende.
Dietmar
Answer:
Lieber Dietmar,
das stimmt, für alle finden wir im Hörerklub eine Aufgabe!:)
Liebe Grüße und einen guten Start in die Woche!
I recently learned my surname is not Polish, but Belarusian. I heard you on shortwave in the past and am so happy to listen online in English. We hear nothing about Belarus here in the US so I am so glad to learn about your country. Keep on broadcasting in English. I also joined the Hoererklub on Facebook as I can understand German. If you have information or a station pennant, I will very much appreciate it.
Sheryl Paszkiewicz, 1015 Green St, Manitowoc WI 54220 USA
Answer:
Dear Sheryl, thank you very much for listening to us! We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. By the way, if you're interested, you can participate in our "The Old Country's Loving Call" project and send a greeting to Belarus. You can find more detailed information at http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/hukaje_eng
Also, in case you like sports, here's the link to an international competition of ours "My Greetings to 2nd European Games" http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/games_eng
73 from the entire staff of RBI! Прывiтанне з Малой Радiзмы :)
Hello from Birmingham United Kingdom!
My name is Michael.
I really enjoyed listening to your program on the Hotbird satellite 13e. I very much love listening to your news and current affairs.
Ask you to send me a small gifts. I hope you guys are all good.
Lots of love from UK
Especially enjoying learning about Belarus. History and culture
Michael Rogers
Flat 2 463 City road Birmingham
B17 8LG
United Kingdom
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Michael,
thank you very much for listening to us! We're glad that you enjoy our programs. We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. Best regards and stay tuned!
Hello. I am a new listener to your English service. I listen on the Radio 1 News app. I enjoyed listening to the news. Do you have any information on shortwave broadcasts you can send me?
Thank you,
Joe Cosimo
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Dear Joe, thank you for listening to Radio Belarus International! We're glad that you enjoyed our news. RBI broadcasts on shortwave only in German on 6005 and 3985 kHz. News and programs in English are available via our website and satellites. We'll also send you a postcard and a small souvenir as soon as we can. 73!
Hello,
My name is Younes Lazazi, I am from Algeria.
I am very happy that radio Belarus has started broadcasting in Arabic.
I would like to receive stickers and printed matter of the station and the Arabic and french services if possible.
My address:
Monsieur Younes Lazazi 14 rue Maza Boualem El-Harrach 16009 Alger Algérie
Thank you.
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Dear English Service Radio Belarus,
Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus. We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented. We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.
Please send some program schedule, sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.
We are waiting for your reply.
With best wishes,
SHIVENDU PAUL
President
Metali Listeners' Club
India
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thank you very much for listening to us! Your club is among our most dedicated listeners. We will send you some of our promotional products as soon as possible. 73!
Hello!
Did the arabic programmes start? I don't see them on your Internetcast schedule page. Thanks!
Answer:
Hello! The Arabic programmes have been on air since October, every Monday. You can see the schedule and listen to them on our Arabic page http://radiobelarus.by/ar
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