Jordan cuts hotels electricity tariff

The government has decided to cut electricity tariff on hotels in a bid to sustain growth in the hospitality and tourism sector which was hit hard by the turmoil in the region, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour announced.

He said the kingdom's hotels will be removed from the commercial sector's electricity tariff category and be put under the industrial sector, adding the move will slash hotels' electricity bill by JD28 million a year.

The prime minister told a meeting with representatives of various economic sectors that the tourism and transport sectors are the most affected by the turmoil in neighboring countries.

However, the Kingdom was able to cut unemployment and poverty rates and maintain financial status despite developments in the region. He also spoke about good indicators with regard to foreign currency reserves, trade balance and budget deficit.