Tourism Ministry announces slew of measures to ease virus impact

By JT - Apr 13,2020 - Last updated at Apr 13,2020

Jordan offers tourists the experience of riding in a hot air balloon through Wadi Rum (Photo courtesy of Jordan Tourism Board)

AMMAN — The Tourism Ministry on Monday announced a slew of measures to help the sector weather the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic.

During a press conference broadcast live from the Prime Ministry, Tourism Minister Majd Shweikeh said that, following consultations with the National Tourism Council and the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) and approval from the Cabinet, the ministry decided to waive the fees and fines for renewing licences for 2020 for business owners and employees in tourism professions.

The ministry also decided to exempt workers in facilities affiliated with the ministry or the Department of Antiquities from rents, Shweikeh said, adding that the ministry will pay back the rent payments the workers have paid for these facilities.

The minister also said that JD10 million in JTB allocations will be redirected to support local tourism activities and another JD5 million will be designated after the end of the crisis.

Tour guides will also be included in the soft loans programme announced by the Central Bank of Jordan, the minister said.

The estimated cost of the government’s relief packages targetting the tourism sector stands at around JD30 million, she said.

The minister added that the ministry has launched a platform for tourist restaurants to apply for food delivery according to conditions that preserve public health and safety, in addition to launching a guidebook for all restaurants on safety measures and precautions for food delivery service.

These restaurants can also offer food pick-up services between 10am and 6pm, where citizens are only allowed to visit the restaurants on foot and receive their orders.

The government decision stipulates that tourist restaurants work at a minimum of 20 to 30 per cent work capacity, accept only e-payment methods and only sell food that is cooked at high temperatures, she added.

Shweikeh stressed that all workers at these restaurants will have to undergo testing for coronavirus before being allowed to work.

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