New decree amends regulation for rented cars

Rental agencies refuse new imposed
minimum number of cars

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) issued a new decree concerning the activity of travel and tourism agents. The provisions of this decree specifically amend the regulations about the activities of car rental agencies.

Mohamad Dakdouk, head of the Syndicate of Car Rental Agencies, said the new decree has both positive and negative sides. He said that this decree will help the Ministry and the Syndicate of Travel and Tourism Agents to address previously unregulated issues more efficiently.

A first amendment concerned the rental of ‘old’ collectible cars for ceremonies such as weddings or funerals. Agencies are now required to rent such cars with a driver. Dakdouk said some of these cars used to be rented in an unregulated way since the previous decree made no mention of them at all.

Dakdouk said a second amendment concerned the rental of all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs). “In the absence of proper regulation in the previous law, the Ministry was unable to process complaints related to ATV rentals in touristic regions such as Faraya.”

On the other hand, the decree imposed a new minimum number of 50 cars per agency, up from 30 cars previously. “We cannot accept this stipulation in the current stagnant economy, especially if it entails a retroactive action for established agencies,” Dakdouk said. He said the MoT should have raised the financial guarantee instead of raising the number of cars. “We will be preparing an objection, which we will present as soon as the new law is implemented,” Dakdouk said.