Legal: No federal legislation for "tourist packages" contracts

Advertisements for unlicensed mountain trips ... required "disclaimer"

  • Mountain enthusiasts cross a paved path.

    From the source

picture

Emirates Today spotted groups on social media programs promoting mountain and land trips in the Eastern Province, without obtaining licenses.

The program organizers ask about 200 dirhams for each subscriber in the tourist package included in the offer.

They allow children and teenagers to be with their families.

However, they require, in return, to sign papers absolving them of responsibility for any injuries or damages that may befall them during the flight.

While the Fujairah Adventure Center intends to issue laws for organizing this type of trips, two laws affirmed the absence of federal legislative texts regarding tourist package contracts, noting that this “encouraged some to practice the profession of tourist guide, without actually being qualified for it.”

In detail, Amr Zainuddin, the project and development official at the Fujairah Adventure Center, said that organizing trips to the land, mountainous and marine areas in the emirate, by non-specialists, exposes their customers to risks, including losing their way back and being exposed to various accidents, and consequently injuries or deaths, confirming the existence of Unlicensed tourism groups and companies post advertisements on social media programs about organizing mountain excursions.

Zainuddin added that the mountains of the Emirate of Fujairah received wide attention from skiing and cycling enthusiasts, which prompted the center to pave 23 mountain paths in various areas of Fujairah, with a distance of 91 kilometers, to ensure the safety of its users.

He referred to the help of people in mountainous regions to define mountain paths, revive them, restore them, and establish new ones, while preserving their privacy, and enacting laws to contravene everyone who causes their inconvenience, especially since the trips include more than 50 people.

Zain al-Din confirmed that laws related to frequenting the land, mountainous and marine areas will start in the coming year, after educating the licensed companies.

He also confirmed the adoption of a smart application for trips and adventures, with the aim of protecting mountain and desert excursion enthusiasts from the risk of being lost, losing contact with security authorities, and identifying areas of sudden torrents.

He added that the application secures the safety of those who visit the mountainous and water areas, through cooperation with Fujairah Police, “Civil Defense” and rescue teams.

Zainuddin explained that the application appears, after registering an application that includes personal information and agreeing to the terms and regulations, the duration of the trip and the necessary security and safety measures, and determines the number of people, and their direction, in addition to educating those suffering from certain diseases of the need to take the necessary precautions.

For his part, the legal advisor, Ayham al-Maghribi, confirmed the spread of advertisements for the provision of tourist packages through social media applications.

He said, "Some of the organizers resort to asking the participants in the trips to sign papers that exempt them from any liability that may arise from damage or any injuries during the trip."

Al-Maghrabi stated that "signing the disclaimer raises a problem regarding the legality of such conditions, noting that there are no laws dealing with organizing tourist trips, as the matter is subject to consumer protection law, civil aviation law, land, commercial and maritime transport."

He continued, "The lack of legislative texts regarding tourism package contracts encouraged many people to violate the rights of tourists, earn money from them, and practice the profession of tourist guide without a license, which created a kind of ambiguity regarding the legal status of tourists."

He said that the laws for this sector cover some emirates, and there is no federal law that regulates tourism, and the tourist guide profession, pointing to the need to create clear legal mechanisms that enable those affected by a recreational or tourist trip to submit an official complaint.

The lawyer and counselor, Rashid Al-Hafiti, confirmed that random mountain trips, which target the eastern regions to promote and market unlicensed trips, may violate the rights of its participants in the event of their loss or injury.

He added that many feel the love of adventure due to the mild weather during this period, as well as the beauty of the mountainous and wild terrain in the eastern region and other regions of the country.

Some parties or people are trying to gain from this passion by organizing leisure and tourist trips to the most attractive areas, without being qualified for that.

He pointed out that "the existence of a federal law will prevent these groups and companies from exploiting others."

Fujairah Adventures

Amr Zainuddin confirmed the imminent opening of the Fujairah Adventure Park, expecting it to be a great attraction, thanks to the tourism features and entertainment possibilities available to it.

He said that the park will be dedicated to training in recreational sports and providing various training courses for obstacles and kayaking, as well as what it will provide to its visitors in terms of stunning mountain views, cycling paths, hiking, an open-air cinema, and camp sites to put tents and barbecues.

He stated that the park has special cycling tracks that help train amateurs, which doubles its attractiveness.

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