DECISION No.477-TTg OF JULY 3, 1997 ON THE ADDITIONAL COLLECTION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS CHARGES AT HOTELS

THE PRIME MINISTER

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To prescribe the rates of additional collection of telecommunications charges (in percentage) on the charge rates fixed by the State for the classified hotels, as follows:

- For 4 to 5-star hotels, the maximum additional collection of telecommunications charges shall be 25%;

- For 3-star hotels, the maximum additional collection of telecommunications charges shall be 15%;

- For 1 to 2-star hotels, the maximum additional collection of telecommunications charges shall be 10%.

Article 2.- The additional collection rates prescribed in Article 1 are the maximum rates hotels are entitled to charge in order to invest in the renovation of postal equipment, raise the quality of information services at hotels. The hotel owners shall be entitled to determine specific rates of additional collection lower than the maximum rates prescribed in Article 1, but they shall have to inform their customers by publicly announcing and posting up such additional collection rates.

Article 3.- The General Department of Tourism, the General Department of Post and Telecommunications shall have to guide the classified hotels in basing themselves on the extent of the actual investment in postal equipment at such hotels to register the specific additional collection rates which fall within the maximum additional collection rates prescribed in Article 1 of this Decision with the Ministry of Finance and the Government Pricing Committee.

Article 4.- The amount of additional collection of telecommunications charges at hotels shall be considered turnover of such hotels and must be taxed as prescribed by law. The Ministry of Finance shall have to guide and supervise the performance of this tax obligation by hotels.

Article 5.- Basing itself on the hotel classification criteria in accordance with the current regulations, the General Department of Tourism shall guide and carry out necessary legal procedures for registration of the grade of each hotel throughout the country to serve as basis for the registration of additional collection.

Article 6.- The General Department of Post and Telecommunications shall consult the General Department of Tourism and base itself on the current regulations to specifically assign the responsibility for investment in telecommunications equipment for information services at the hotels to the hotel business units and the equipment exploiting units of postal sector.

Article 7.- This Decision takes effect 30 days after its signing. Hotels which are not eligible for star grading, guest houses, rest houses and restaurants shall not be subject to this Decision. The earlier stipulations which are contrary to the provisions of this Decision are now annulled.

Article 8.- The General Director of the General Department of Tourism shall have to guide the implementation of this Decision. The Minister of Finance, the Head of the Government Pricing Committee, the General Director of the General Department of Post and Telecommunications shall guide the relevant issues that fall within their respective functions. The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of the agencies attached to the Government, the Presidents of the People�s Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government shall have to implement this Decision.

For the Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister