Tour operators not to be charged supervisory and insolvency protection fees for 2021

The Government proposes that tour operators not be charged supervisory and insolvency protection fees for 2021. These fees were waived in 2020 too.

On 22 December 2021, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal for a temporary amendment to the Act on the Supervisory and Insolvency Protection Fee Provided by Providers of Travel Service Combinations. In practice, the Government’s proposal means that tour operators will not be charged a supervision and insolvency fee for this year. 

Even though there has been a slight recovery in the tourism sector in 2021 compared with the previous year, the pandemic has continued to hamper the sector’s operations to a significant degree this year, according to the Government. By not charging the fee, the Government wants to alleviate the situation of tour operators. Waiving the fee will apply to about 570 companies, which are obliged to lodge a collateral with the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority to protect the advance payments made by travellers and the costs of repatriation.

The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority is responsible for imposing and collecting the fee. The Act is set to enter into force as soon as possible and it will remain in force until 31 December 2022.

Inquiries:
Sari Alho, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. + 358 295 049 007