New law to regulate tourism industry

Tourism sector representatives are currently drafting a new law designed to regulate the industry and protect both service providers and customers, according to a senior government official. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Haifa Abu Ghazaleh said the ministry has received several complaints against travel agents who do not abide by their contracts. “We will toughen penalties against those agencies that harm the business, to protect citizens who travel with these companies,” the minister told The Jordan Times in a recent interview, adding that the complaints from customers included travelling on airlines other than those agreed upon or finding that the hotel ranking or location is different from the one in the contract. She also stressed that travellers should examine a contract before signing it in order to protect themselves. “If there is a clear agreement between a company and a customer, it would make it easier for us to impose a penalty on the agency that commits a violation,” Abu Ghazaleh explained. The minister also announced that the ministry has drafted a bylaw to govern the management of all tourist sites in the Kingdom. The legislation seeks to preserve these sites through the formation of a committee that will be in charge of its implementation, she said In addition, the new bylaw seeks to allocate a portion of the entry fees to maintain these sites and provide them with the needed services. Currently, all revenues from entry fees go to the treasury. The minister also revealed that a weekly festival will be organised on the shores of the Dead Sea starting in October to encourage domestic tourism in the area. Abu Ghazaleh also noted that the Kingdom will host the Arab Ministerial Council of Tourism meeting next week, where ministers will discuss regional issues related to tourism. The three-day conference, which opens on September 28, will take place in Aqaba, the 2011 Arab Tourism City.