Representatives of a number of tourism associations plead for the creation of a specialized tourism organ of the central public administration – the National Tourism Office. According to them, the tourism industry should not be regarded as an ordinary branch of the national economy that can be transferred from one institution to another. It should be represented by a tourism organ of the central public administration that would ensure the implementation of state policies on tourism.
In a news conference hosted by IPN, the chairman of the Employers Association of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of Moldova Sergiu Manea, said that tourism is now an economic force with big growth potential whose development can bring multiple benefits. “Being a service sector, tourism contributes to developing the economy by gaining capital by 12 types of specific activities, involving 20 related branches with about 140 tourist services, such as accommodation, public food, transport, trade, recreation, medical services, crafting, etc.” noted Sergiu Manea.
Regrettably, representatives of the NGO sector ascertained that it is suggested creating a body that would cover both the tourism sector and the creative industry. This could be a good option, but tourism should develop as a separate entity by the model of countries that made essential progress in the field. “To obtain good results in this sector, the interests of the tourism market players should coincide with the interests of the state. But some of the state institutions oppose the founding of a central specialized organ in the tourism sector. We consider it is opportune for the Ministry of Culture, as an organ of the specialized central public administration responsible for the designing of the state policy on tourism, to more actively become involved in the creation of the National Tourism Office that would deal with the implementation of state policies on tourism,” stated Sergiu Manea.
The NGO sector from the field believes the law on the organization and conduct of tourism activities in the Republic of Moldova should be amended and supplemented and a tourism development strategy that would represent the main policy document aimed at directing the tourism activity towards achieving plausible results from economic and social viewpoints should be worked out.
The head of the Tourism Information and Promotion Center Nicolae Platon said the tourism sector is an opportunity for the country to create value added to increase the amounts collected into the national public budget. Work on the new tourism development strategy should be done in the near future as the main document adopted in 2014 expired two years ago. The legislation on the organization and conduct of tourism activities is also outdated as it was adopted in 2006. “For these reasons, we cannot speak about the stimulation of tourism activity as long as we do not have a strategy, a law that would ensure the development of the sector,” stated Nicolae Platon.
“The sector wants to be managed by a specialized tourism organ – the National Tourism Office – that would be managed by the Government. This office should include a collective body in its composition, which would be able to consult and would represent the tourism sector and which would involve tourism associations of Moldova,” said Viorel Miron, president of the Tourism Development Association.
Ion Alexa, chairman of the National Association of Tourism Legal Agents, noted that a separate entity that would deal with tourism policies is needed and the legislation should be adjusted so as to facilitate and optimize the work of tourism business entities and to ensure increased safety.
Note: IPN News Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider they were touched by the news items produced based on statements of the organizers of the given news conference, including by facilitating the organization of another news conference in similar conditions.
