The Minister of Tourism, Majd Shwaikah, has confirmed today that the Defence Order No. (13) allows tourism offices and travel agencies to restore their guarantees from banks and liquefy them in order to have the necessary liquidity needed during the corona outbreak.

These guarantees will be carried out by a bank to be announced t a later date, Shwaikah stated in a press conference at the Prime Ministry building, noting that these guarantees are estimated at a value of JD30,000,000.

"We have taken procedures to pump cash-inflow directly and indirectly to support the sector of tourism," she added. 

In order to cover salaries and operating expenses in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, JD150 million will be granted to the tourism sector.

Starting July 1, sales taxes for hotels, tourist resorts, and tourist restaurants will be 8%, instead of 16%, except for the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, which will remain at 7%. In addition, service taxes for tourist restaurants and hotels will be reduced to 5% instead of 10%.

Furthermore, the Ministry will allow the installment of amounts due from the tourism sector for income tax for 2019 without fines or interest in a period extending from July to October 2020.

Also, licensed eastern antique shops will be allowed to benefit from facilitating programs available for tour guides. This will be in the form of a JD3,000,000 guaranteed by the Committee for Enhancing Tourism.

Finally, there will be extra protection for Jordanian tour guides and workers in the tourism sector. Their job security will be supported by allowing local tourism institutes to pay off their financial obligations toward their workers. Moreover, there will be support for local tourism and the "Our Jordan is a Paradise.. Jordan is fine" program. 

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