The corporate fund "Turistіk Kamkor" was presented to tour operators, travel agents, tourist associations at NCE RK

Earlier, the question about the appointment of a legal person to perform the function of the administrator of the system to guarantee the rights of citizens in the field of outbound tourism was discussed at the site of NCE.

Presentation of the corporate Fund "Kamkor Turistіk" was held in the format of a video conference with participation of representatives of the Department of Tourism Industry of MID RK, Ministry of Information and Communications of RK, local government offices, tourist associations, AFC, tour operators and travel agents.

As it was noted by the Deputy Chairman of NCE RK "Atameken" Yuliya Yakupbaeva, you need a wide range of public to "engage in consideration of the market issues".

Presenting the fund "Turistіk Kamkor", Ina Ray, as a developer, explained the purpose for which the Fund was established. "We have created a fund - a special structure, the only function of which is to protect citizens who go abroad", - she said.

Ina Ray familiarized the participants with the structure of the Fund, founded by the major tour operators, members of the Association of Travel Agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan. She also told about the risks that arise in the course of activity in the outbound tourism market, the role of the Fund "Kamkor Turistіk" in this respect, she also outlined the objectives and the tasks of the Fund.

"The goal of our Fund - is provision of emergency assistance for Kazakhstani citizens to return from the country of temporary residence in cases of impossibility to perform or improper performance of obligations during the sale of a tourist product. The specific challenges facing the Fund and its employees - keeping the register of tour operators and tour-affreighters, travel agents, maintaining the register of realized tourism products, provision of accommodation and food, emergency evacuation of the tourists, emergency aid", - commented I. Rey. In addition, the presentation reflects the information on the organizational structure, evaluation of insurance opportunities of the fund, budget and staffing structure of the fund, fund formation stages, the investment costs and fund’s mechanisms of response to different situations.

Further discussion took place in the "question and answer" format. President of the Association of Tourist Agencies of Kazakhstan Assel Nurkebaeva asked why the question of the content of the bank guarantees is not discussed? "It can also be a separate fund. The market is concerned, and this issue needs to be clarified", - she said.

As it was noted by the Acting Director of the Department of Tourism Industry MID RK T. Tyrmyshev, "holders of bank guarantees are the second-tier banks, the presence of a bank guarantee is a condition of entry of a tour operator into the fund" Kamkor Turistіk". "This will be the only Fund, and there is no other fund according to the law", - he concluded.

Director of the Kazakhstani Tourist Association Rashida Shaikenova marked a few points on which KTA has objections. "Firstly, the answer, which we received to our letter, from MID RK regarding the appeal against the results of the competition does not satisfy us, and now we will discuss this issue at the Board of KTA, after which we will act according to the opinion of the majority of members. Secondly, we believe that today the bank guarantee on such a scale - is detrimental to many tour operators, this measure can throw a huge number of players outside of the market. Further, according to the presentation: in our view, the organizational structure of the fund is exaggerated. For example, why are there three managers? It is necessary to minimize the staff units. Why are there two councils (Council of emergency situations, and at the same time, the Board of trustees)? We propose to include representatives of the insurance market in the composition of the Board of Trustees. To give equal quotas to all industry associations. Why will the fund maintain another register? Today there are so many registers maintained by the authorized bodies. Tasks should be reduced and minimized", - expressed the head of the KTA.

As it was explained by Ina Ray, "the project of the organizational structure was presented, which, undoubtedly, will undergo changes in the process, and the market will dictate it". She also added that perhaps "some positions after the start of the fund may be abolished". "With regard to the register, we are talking about participants of the fund, and the fund is obliged to take account of its members. As for quotas – I agree, be sure we will take it into account", - she noted.

The representative of the Ministry T. Tyrmyshev gave clarifications regarding the bank guarantee. "If all of a sudden it will be revealed that the tour operator sells tourist products without a bank guarantee, in this case, the law prescribes deprivation of the license", - he informed.

Chairman of the Committee of tourist industry NCE RK "Atameken" Rosa Asanbaeva added: "Today, as we know, many tour operators call themselves as tour operators, in fact, being agents and not having any financial security".

"It is obvious that this scheme arises many questions, - said the moderator Yuliya Yakupbaeva. - I can offer an example for consideration - the Deposit Guarantee Fund, an example of the insurance market, in this case the Foundation Board includes all the key associations and state representatives. Maybe the Board of the Fund "Kamkor Turistіk" should include representatives of the National Bank, as the assets have to be managed professionally. And it is compulsory to indicate in the Decree that the fund doesn’t manages its own work, there is a public council at the top of the Fund", - she added.

The managing director of the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan E. Burabayev announced the questions of the insurers. "How is the value of the bank guarantee determined? Who will control the number of sales? How will the fund help if people paid for their tour package and didn’t leave? "- He asked reasonable questions.

As it was explained by Ina Ray, "the sum of a bank guarantee is defined by the Decree, as for tourist, who didn’t leave it is decided on the level of legislation". The representative of MID RK added that in the case of tourists, who didn’t leave,  civil liability insurance is applied.

Deputy Chairman of the Board of NCE noted that as "for the amount of the bank guarantees, there are also doubts". "There can’t be a flat fee for all tour operators, it should be a differentiated approach, depending on the turnovers. We will examine the feasibility of revocation of an opinion on this issue in the draft Decree, and, based on the depth of the market, will make suggestions", - concluded Yuliya Yakupbaeva.

Meanwhile, as it was noted by Asel Nurkebaeva, "many small tour operators today return licenses because of bank guarantees". "It is impossible to estimate or to guess how many tour operators will operate, as well as to assume their sales volume and depth. Today we need a fund. As for this presentation, we have one recommendation - to streamline the scheme", - suggested the President of the Association of Tourist Agencies of Kazakhstan.

Laura Galieva, director of tour operator company “KAZUNION”, supported the colleague. "In the walls of NCE RK during the last year, we have discussed all the rates, amounts, etc., it is necessary to act now ", - she said.

Regarding the Bank Guarantee, I. Rey noted that "any tour operator can go bankrupt, and then he has to cover losses with his property possessions".

Meanwhile, as it was noted by the director of tour operator the company “Eurasian Express” N. Zhulanova "," there are even large tour operators, for which the size of a bank guarantee in the amount of 10 million tenge is unsupportable". "We can’t become members of the fund as a bank guarantee can’t be secured", - she said.

"We expect not just words from you, but concrete proposals on the amount of bank guarantees", - said the representative of the Department of tourism industry MID RK T. Tyrmyshev. Director of the company "Natalie Tours Kazakhstan” Yu. Sobol proposed to introduce a differentiated payment, depending on the turnover and depth of sales.

Director of the tour operator "Helios" A. Satzhanova expressed the opposite view: "Maybe 10 million tenge - it is even a small guarantee for a tour operator. If you have no money, there is no need to deal with the tour operator activities".

S. Omarova, director of the tour operator "Kaztur" and asked colleagues to hurry because "time is running out". "The season began, everyone who already flies, is not insured. Let insurers , who offered to create the fund, to begin to insure", - she said.

Summing up the meeting, Deputy Chairman of NCE RK Yuliya Yakupbaeva requested within one week to finalize the presentation of the Fund, taking into account the voiced comments. "Association please send us frequently asked questions to work on them with the MID RK, publish it on the website for information. There will also be held a meeting on insurance and bank guarantees with insurers and the National Bank ", - added Yu. Yakupbaeva.