Jordan Restaurant Association Organizes Workshop to Enhance Oversight, Awareness, and Guidance for Tourism Restaurants in Zarqa
In a move reflecting its commitment to developing the tourism sector and fostering public-private cooperation, the Jordan Restaurant Association (JRA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply, organized an interactive workshop at the Zarqa Chamber of Industry. The workshop, titled "Mechanisms for Inspecting Tourism Restaurants and an Introduction to the Law on Oversight and Inspection of Economic Activities," saw significant attendance and engagement from tourism restaurant owners in the Zarqa Governorate and private sector representatives.
Fostering Dialogue and Strategic Partnership
The workshop was opened by Mrs. Eliana Ja'neini, General Manager of the JRA, who emphasized the importance of such workshops in opening channels for constructive dialogue between regulatory bodies and tourism restaurant owners. Mrs. Ja'neini stressed that these initiatives contribute to strengthening strategic partnerships and achieving a more integrated vision for sector development, elevating the quality of Jordan's tourism product.
Mr. Mohammad Al-Majali, Director of the Oversight and Quality Control Directorate at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, underscored the necessity of continuous awareness workshops with the tourism restaurant sector to solidify a genuine partnership between the two sectors.
Unified Procedures and Legal Framework
The workshop included members of the Awareness, Guidance, and Oversight Unit for Tourism Establishments from the relevant regulatory authorities, chaired by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities – Oversight and Quality Control Directorate. Mr. Dhamen Al-Hamaydeh, Head of the Oversight and Quality Control Department at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, affirmed the Ministry's vital role in supporting the local economy, highlighting the tourism restaurant sector's importance as a key contributor. Al-Hamaydeh also emphasized the Ministry's commitment to collaborative work with all tourism sectors, unifying inspection procedures, and defining authorities, while reviewing the applicable legal and legislative framework.
Eng. Mohammad Al-Minha, Technical Director and Advisor for the JRA, emphasized the pivotal role of the tourism sector in the Kingdom and its contribution to achieving sustainable growth rates and providing more job opportunities. He also highlighted the importance of effective public-private partnership in developing awareness, oversight, and inspection efforts for tourism restaurants.
Clarity in Economic Activity Oversight
As part of the Economic Activities Oversight Unit's efforts to disseminate awareness on oversight mechanisms, enhance inspection efficiency in economic establishments, and understand challenges facing the tourism sector regarding inspections, Eng. Mohammad Al-Khalidi, Director of the Economic Activities Oversight Unit at the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply, delivered a detailed presentation on the Law on Oversight and Inspection of Economic Activities and its regulations. His presentation covered the Ministry's procedures for developing oversight on the inspection system in the business sector and the mechanisms for forming committees to appeal inspection decisions and procedures within relevant regulatory bodies.
Eng. Kholoud Adnan Khaddam Al-Jame', Assistant Director of the Economic Activities Oversight Unit at the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply, reviewed the main features of the draft guidance manual for tourism restaurants, currently being prepared in partnership with concerned parties and supported by the JRA. This manual aims to achieve transparency by making inspection procedures clear, facilitating understanding of obligations and rights for both inspectors and establishment owners, and ensuring the highest quality standards in the tourism restaurant sector.
Workshop Outcomes and Recommendations
The workshop concluded with key outcomes regarding oversight and inspection activities for tourism establishments, aiming to simplify regulatory procedures through an approach focused on awareness and guidance, followed by joint inspections that ensure effective application of regulations and instructions within each ministry's jurisdiction. The committee seeks to unify authorities and reduce duplication and repetition of inspections, in addition to raising awareness among establishment owners about regulatory requirements. It was emphasized that any establishment entry will only occur through the Awareness, Guidance, and Oversight Unit for Tourism Establishments, chaired by the Ministry of Tourism and and Antiquities.
The interactive session concluded with several important recommendations, most notably the need for a hotline at the Ministry of Industry and Trade to answer inquiries related to the Law on Inspection of Economic Activities and its regulations, and the importance of involving municipal representatives in governorates to avoid individual visits.
The workshop saw active participation from tourism restaurant owners in Zarqa Governorate, who raised their observations and inquiries regarding inspection mechanisms and the matrix of violations and penalties recently issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and circulated to relevant restaurants. During the discussions, the session speakers answered all questions, each according to their specialization, providing necessary clarifications to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the procedures.
This workshop is part of the JRA's commitment to fostering constructive dialogue between regulatory bodies and tourism restaurant owners, with the aim of strengthening the strategic partnership between the public and private sectors, achieving a more integrated vision for developing the tourism sector, and enhancing the quality of the tourism product in Jordan.
