Azerbaijan, Baku, May 31 / Trend I.Isabalayeva /
When issuing licenses in Azerbaijan to travel agencies, they will be required to have bank obligations, Azerbaijan Tourism Association (ATA) Chairman Nahid Baghirov told Trend on Thursday.
He said that in other countries when issuing licenses to tour operators they are required to have either banking or insurance liability.
"In that case, a company that operates as a tour operator is insured by the insurance company. And in Azerbaijan tour operators will probably be required to have banking liability. This amount will be regulated by the state," Baghirov said.
He believes that while issuing a lisence tour operators may be required to have banking liability of 100,000 manat.
Baghirov noted that for the Azerbaijani market this amount is acceptable, and added that in some countries, this amount is much higher.
As a result of a creation in Azerbaijan of tour operators responsibility of tourism companies will rise. In the event that the tour operator goes bankrupt, all problems will be solved on the basis of a bank guarantee, all costs of tourists will be paid.
Baghirov said travel companies operating now in Azerbaijan, in case of meeting certain criteria, in order to obtain a license tour will appeal to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Despite the fact that this activity is not licensed, there are now travel agencies in Azerbaijan, providing tour operators activities. But according to the laws they are called travel agencies, he said.
Baghirov said that after the adoption of the draft law "On Tourism" travel companies, providing services to the tour operator, will also apply for a license for this activity and then will be officially known as tour operators.