AMMAN — Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin and Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Shadi Majali on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at enhancing institutional coordination and streamlining procedures related to the regulation of tourism professions and activities within ASEZA.

 

The agreement seeks to support investment, improve the quality of tourism services, and enable both sides to carry out their duties efficiently and effectively, according to an ASEZA statement.

 

Hijazin stressed that the memorandum comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to boost its partnership with ASEZA and facilitate procedures for investors and tourism facility owners, thereby improving service quality and boosting the Kingdom’s competitiveness as a tourist destination.

 

Majali said that the signing of the memorandum marks a "significant" step in advancing tourism operations within ASEZA, enabling the authority to fulfill its regulatory and supervisory roles more effectively.

 

This, he added, will enhance Aqaba’s position as a "distinguished" tourism destination both regionally and internationally.

 

Both sides said that the MoU will help unify efforts between the ministry and ASEZA, simplify administrative and regulatory procedures, and ensure greater efficiency in tourism operations, while improving service quality for visitors and investors.

 

It will also reinforce Aqaba’s status as a “premier” tourism destination contributing to the growth of Jordan’s tourism sector.

 

Under the memorandum, the minister of tourism and antiquities authorises the ASEZA chief commissioner to exercise the powers stipulated in Article (10) of the Tourism Law to grant approvals for the classification or registration of tourism professions and activities.

 

ASEZA will apply the standards and criteria for classifying tourism professions and activities approved by the ministry.

 

The MoU also stipulates that ASEZA will conduct supervision and inspection of tourism professions and activities through its specialised regulatory unit, whose employees will be granted law enforcement powers, in coordination with a representative from the Ministry of Tourism’s inspection unit.

 

In accordance with the memorandum, ASEZA will provide the ministry with all data related to licensed and operational tourism establishments for inclusion in the ministry’s database.

 

It will also collect and share information related to tourism events in the region for statistical, marketing or policymaking purposes.

 

The ministry, in turn, will grant ASEZA full access to its tourism statistical system, according to the statement.