NEGOTIATING PRIORITIES FOR TOURISM SERVICES

The agreement should strive to generate investment for tourism by removing obstacles to the

establishment and operation of hotels and other lodging places; by making it easier for travelers

to visit and make purchases in other countries; and by reducing the problems faced by organizers

of international conferences and conventions.  The agreement should seek the removal or

attenuation of the following barriers:

Overly burdensome exit fees or taxes, or similar restrictions on the departure of outbound

travellers

Unavailability of information for travellers on applicable duty free allowances for

returning residents on specified merchandise purchased abroad for personal or household

uses

Limitations on the participation of foreign capital in terms of maximum percentage limit

on foreign shareholding or the total value of individual or aggregate foreign investment

Measures that restrict or require specific types of corporate, partnership, or other business

organization structure

Limitations on the purchase or rental of real estate for this sector

Economic needs test on suppliers of hotel and lodging services

Restrictions on the ability of suppliers of hotel and lodging services to enter into and exit

from joint ventures with local or non local, private or government partners

Measures requiring the use of local partner to establish in the market

Opaque regulatory processes: where government approval is required, exceptionally long

delays are encountered and, when approval is denied, no reasons are given for the denial

and no information is given on what must be done to obtain approval in the future

Lack of national treatment for financing arrangements for construction and operation of

hotels and lodging places.

Denial of access to and use of public services on reasonable and non discriminatory

terms and conditions

Denial of access to government programs available to domestic service providers

Tax treatment that discriminates against foreign service providers

Discrimination against foreign service suppliers with respect to choice of business

organizations available to domestic suppliers

Discrimination against foreign partners in a joint venture

Discrimination against franchises as opposed to other forms of business organization

Discrimination against foreign franchises

Lack of readily available information on zoning and lack of an opportunity for service

suppliers to meet with local officials and community representatives to discuss location

of facilities

Lack of transparency of domestic laws and regulations and fairness of administration

Denial of full consumer access to electronic means for making hotel reservations

Denial of freedom for service providers to select sources of supply of services

Denial of freedom for service providers to offer incentives, rewards, and other

promotional programs

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