Tourism Framework Act.

This Act aims at regulating, facilitating, and promoting the sustainable development of the tourism sector in Suriname. The Act therefore establishes definitions, institutional structures, standards, and compliance mechanisms to ensure that tourism contributes to economic growth while protecting social, cultural, and environmental values. The Act empowers the Minister to develop a Multi-Year Tourism Development Plan, in collaboration with the competent authority. The Plan focuses on: sustainable development, efficient use of natural and cultural heritage, and minimising negative social, economic, and ecological impacts of touristic activities. The Act provides for: introducing a fee for the development of tourism and for increasing a targeted fund for strengthening business involved in tourism; respecting and protecting the rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in accordance with the principles of Free , Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC ), the environment and existing social structures; monitoring and anticipating the consequences of climate change and mass tourism in national tourism policy. The Act defines the following relevant terms: tourist; visitor; service provider; quality standard; Surinamese Tourism Authority; Surinamese Standard Bureau; tourism sector; tourism zones.
Further matters covered by this Act include: standards, guidelines, certification and issuance of permits; measures for the prevention, mitigation and monitoring of incidents and calamities; tourism-related business activities; duties of service providers in the tourism sector, and particularly transport and compliance with international standards, protection of the environment, conservation of biodiversity, conservation of ecosystem and cultural heritage; enforcement, supervision and control; offences and related penalties regarding: business activities performance; protection and preservation of the environment; safety measures; labour provisions; food safety and trade in unsafe and dangerous; standards and guidelines.