好消息~想去约旦的驴友快来看

新华网安曼２月３日电（记者于晓华　苏小坡）据《约旦时报》３日报道，约旦旅游业为吸引中国和印度的游客，降低全球经济危机的冲击，决定简化来自这两个国家游客的入境手续。

约旦旅游和古迹大臣马哈·哈提卜２日举行新闻发布会宣布，中国和印度两国公民无需再通过约旦驻这两个国家的使馆申请签证，只需前往旅行社提交一份清晰、详细的个人信息，就可以在机场或者任何约旦的入境处得到签证。而旅居第三国的中国和印度公民持有能够证明他们在第三国居住的文件就可以直接进入约旦，在机场处得到签证。

哈提卜说，对于恶意滞留约旦的游客，旅行社将承担驱逐这些游客的法律和经济责任。

哈提卜还宣布，约旦将把旅馆的消费税由１４％下调至８％。这一决定初步限于只在今年实施，但有关部门正在协调，争取延长这一措施的有效期。

另外，哈提卜说，预计约旦很快将降低旅馆的电费，首相纳迪尔·扎哈比已开始与约旦电力部门讨论，寻求在３年时间里逐步降低旅馆的电费。这些措施将直接降低旅行社给游客的最终报价。

约旦旅行社协会和约旦旅馆业联盟对这些措施表示欢迎，称这将帮助旅游业吸引到更多游客，降低全球经济危机对约旦旅游业的冲击。

旅游业是约旦经济的支柱产业，据哈提卜透露，２００８年，约旦旅游业收入超过２０亿美元，约占约旦国内生产总值的１４％。

以下是英文版的
Entry procedures streamlined for Indian, Chinese nationals Tue, 03-02-2009

Over one-third of the world’s population will now find it easier to visit Jordan following a spate of measures unveiled by the government on Monday to mitigate the impact of the global downturn in the tourism sector.

Under the new measures, which include a cut in sales tax on hotel rates, citizens of India and China, with a combined population of over two billion, no longer have to apply for a visa at Jordanian embassies in their countries, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Maha Khatib Said.

“It used to take up to four months sometimes for Indians and Chinese to get a Jordanian visa after submitting their applications,” Khatib said, adding that all they have to do now is go through a travel agent and submit a manifest detailing personal information and they will be issued a visa at the airport, or any other entry point into the Kingdom.

The minister explained that the process of issuing visas to these two nationalities used to be “very complicated” as it required prior approval; in addition the Labour Ministry feared that visitors from the two countries would seek employment in the Kingdom after they arrive.

As part of the measures, which are effective immediately, the manifest will be stamped at the entry points as well as the passport which will include a clear note that the holder is not authorised to work in Jordan.

Travel agents will shoulder the legal and financial responsibilities of deporting tourists from Jordan in case they overstay the period specified by the visa, Khatib told reporters at a press conference yesterday to announce the measures.

Meanwhile, Indians and Chinese expatriates living in other countries can fly directly to the Kingdom and obtain the visa at the airport on condition that they have a document proving their residency in those countries, she added.

The measures announced yesterday also include removing Romanians from the list of restricted nationalities. Khatib said Romanian nationals can now get visas from Jordanian missions, or upon entering the Kingdom.

According to the minister, the decision to lower the sales tax on hotel rooms from 14 per cent to 8 per cent will initially be implemented this year, but efforts are under way to extend it.

In addition, a decision will be made soon to lower electricity bills for hotels, which currently pay 89 fils per kilowatt hour, the highest rate in the industrial sector.

Khatib said Prime Minister Nader Dahabi initiated discussions with the Electricity Regulatory Commission to gradually reduce electricity prices for hotels over the next three years.

“These incentives will lead to a direct decrease in the final price given to tourists,” Khatib noted.

Welcoming the measures, the Jordan Society of Tourist and Travel Agents (JSTA) and the Jordan Hotels Association (JHA) said it would help the sector attract more tourists to minimise the impact of the current global economic crisis on the sector.

Meanwhile, Khatib told reporters that revenues generated from the sector in 2008 exceeded $2 billion, accounting for 14 per cent of the gross domestic product.

She said the tourism sector will not be dramatically affected by the global financial meltdown, because it is diversified and competitive.