MoT working to speed
up permits for private sector

Tourism sector faced
with red tape, high cost

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is issuing a decree in collaboration with the Office of the Minister of Administrative Reform (OMSAR) to amend procedures for acquiring tourism permits.

The decree is designed to simplify administrative procedures and help tourist establishments use the new rules before the end of the year. The project is also in collaboration with the Municipality of Beirut and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

The MoT has requested The Municipality of Beirut to adopt similar procedures related to tourist establishments, including building permits, public safety, public health, and legality of space usage.

This is part of an ongoing project launched two years ago. The IFC working with the MoT and the OMSAR began looking at ways to streamline key licenses in the tourism sector and eliminate the existing red tape. Firms starting operations in the tourism sector faces a number of administrative bottlenecks, often taking years for specific approvals and undue cost, according to a government report.

In line with this ongoing project, the OMSAR and the MoT established last year a ‘One Stop Shop’ (OSS) at the Ministry’s front office. It aims to facilitate the licensing process for businesses in the tourism sector and to reduce delays related to licensing.