Operators are to use non-cash payment terminals

Operators are to use non-cash payment terminals

Interfax-Tourism reports that tour operators with revenues from 40 million rubles will have to use non-cash payment terminals, according to Turpomoshch, the Association of tour operators for outbound tourism.
The Association has come up with a reminder that on October 1, amendments to Article 16.1 of the RF Law “On Protection of Consumers’ Rights” and Federal Law “On the national payment system”, come into force. In accordance with the amendments, various entities will have non-cash payment terminals installed on their premises.
“This will also affect the tourism sector. However, it is not, by far, every vendor of tourism products that will be obligated to use a non-cash payment terminal. The regulation will apply only to those whose revenues for the past year amounted to 40 million or more,” the report said.
According to the amendments, it is a mandatory requirement that the new terminals be adapted to the MIR national payment system. Integration with other payment systems is possible, including: POS-terminals are designed to also accept for payment Visa and MasterCard.
At the same time, companies that have no previous experience of processing physical persons’ cards must use their POS-terminals or place a payment agent terminal. The law is unlikely to affect small travel agencies, which have smaller turnovers, except for agent networks, the report says.
“Travel agencies should pay careful attention to the choice of a partner both among tour operators and among banks or paying agents, based on the desired revenue,” Turpomoshch emphasized.
As specified in the Association, more than 40% of companies engaged in outbound tourism have revenues of over 50 million rubles.