The Executive Meeting of the State Council: The Amended Regulations on Travel Agencies (Draft) to Be Released

According to Xinhua News Agency, Premier Wen Jiabao hosted the executive meeting of the State Council on Jan. 21, at which highlighted was the necessity of amending the current Regulations on the Administration of Travel Agencies in an all-round manner so as to strengthen the nation’s administration on travel agencies, protect the legal rights and benefits of tourists and travel agencies, maintain the order of the tourist market, and prompt the healthy development of the tourism industry. The new Regulations on Travel Agencies (draft) would set unified standards on entry requirements and procedures of domestic tourism and inbound tourism businesses, put more necessary restrictions on the qualifications for entities or individuals engaging in the outbound tourism business, optimize the quality guarantee deposit system, reduce the restrictions on foreigners setting up travel agencies in China, and further regulate the business behaviors of travel agencies. A decision that the draft would, after further amended, be released by the State Council had been made on the meeting.