New regulations for Omani tourism sector announced

Oman Sunday 13/October/2019 16:54 PM
By: Times News Service
New regulations for Omani tourism sector announced

Muscat: New regulations for the tourism sector in Oman have been announced.

According to the regulations: restaurants and cafes catering to tourists need to hire a manager for daily management, according to a new ministerial decision issued by the Minister of Tourism.

The Sultanate’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Mahrizi, issued Ministerial Decree No. 56/2019 amending some provisions of the executive regulations of Oman’s Tourism Law.

Article 1 stipulates that “the amendments to the executive regulations of the Tourism Law shall be made.”

Article 2 nullifies anything that contradicts the attached amendments, or contradicts its provisions. Article 3 states that the decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force from the day following the date of its publication, with the exception of Article 49.

According to the Royal Decree: Pursuant to the Tourism Law promulgated by Royal Decree No. 23/2002, the Executive Regulations of the Tourism Law promulgated by Ministerial Decree No. 39/2016, and the approval of the Ministry of Finance, and as required by the public interest.

The new regulations decide that the provisions of Articles 37, 49, 50 and 84 of the ‘Implementing Regulations’ of said Tourism Law shall be replaced by the following:

Amended Article 37 states that each hotel or tourist establishment shall have a manager responsible for its management, in accordance with the conditions and qualifications specified by the Ministry.

Article 49 states that - restaurants and cafes shall apply to the Ministry for tourist classification in the following cases: They are located within a hotel facility, if they are located on tourist land and if they are administered through franchise contracts. Restaurants and cafes, other than those provided for in the first paragraph of this Article, may apply to the Ministry for tourist classification.

In all cases, classified restaurants and cafes shall comply with the regulations issued by the Minister in this regard.

Article 50 stipulates that the restaurant or café shall be considered classified if it obtains the classification from the Ministry. The classification shall be valid for one year.

Article 84 stated that - each travel and tourism office shall have a manager responsible for its management, in accordance with the conditions and qualifications specified by the Ministry.