. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  S/C/N/561 
6 September 2010 
 
 (10-4577) 
Council for Trade in Services Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE III.3 OF THE 
GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES 
 
  The following notification, dated 27 August 201 0, from the delegation of Nicaragua is being 
circulated to the Members of th e Council for Trade in Services. 
 
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 1. Member notifying: 
 Nicaragua 
 
2. Notification under: 
 Article III, paragraph 3, of the General Ag reement on Trade in Services (Transparency). 
 3. Date of entry into force: 
- Law on the creation of the Nicaraguan T ourism Institute (INTUR), Law No. 298, 
approved on 1 July 1998 and published in La Gaceta  (Official Journal) No. 149 of 
11 August 1998. 
 - Law on incentives for the tourism industry of the Republic of Nicaragua, 
Law No. 306, approved on 18 May 1999 and pub lished in Official Journal No. 117 of 
21 June 1999. 
 - General Tourism Law, Law No. 495, a pproved on 2 July 2004 and published in 
Official Journal No. 184 of 22 September 2004. 
 
4. Agency responsible for implementation  and enforcement of the measure: 
 Nicaraguan Tourism Instit ute, Managua, Nicaragua 
 
5. Description of the measure: 
 The aim of the first law is to create th e Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, an autonomous 
State body referred to in the text simply as "INTUR".  INTUR has its own legal status and 
assets, is of indefinite duration, has full capacity  to exercise rights and contract obligations 
and is the uninterrupted legal successor of th e Ministry of Tourism, created pursuant to 
Agreement No. 1-93 of 9 January 1993, and of  the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, created 
pursuant to Decree No. 161 of 14 November 1979. 
 S/C/N/561 
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  The second law seeks to promote investment in  tourism activities.  INTUR will grant tax 
incentives and benefits to enterprises which provi de hotel industry services and invest in the 
construction, remodelling, exte nsion, equipping, refurbishment and development of hotels, 
motels and other similar facilities, such  as condo-hotels, apartment-hotels, etc. 
 
The main aim of the third law is to regulate the tourism industry through the establishment of 
standards to guarantee its activities, ensure the participation of the public and private sectors 
and reaffirm, pursuant to this Law, the positi on of the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, INTUR 
(created under Law No. 298, published in Offi cial Journal No. 149 of 11 August 1998) as the 
industry's highest authority and governing body. 
 
6. Members specifically affected, if any: 
 No third countries are affected. 
 
7. Texts available from: 
 Instituto Nicaragüense de Turismo , INTUR (Nicaraguan Tourism Institute) 
 Hotel Crowne Plaza, 1c Sur, 1c. Oeste, Managua, Nicaragua  Aptdo. Postal No. 5088, Managua, Nicaragua  Pbx: (505) 2254-5191  Fax: (505) 2222-6610   Asamblea Nacional de la República de Nicaragua 
 (National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua) 
 Complejo Legislativo Carlos Núñez Téllez, Avenida Bolívar  Dirección de Información Legislativa  (Legislative Information Department) 
 Managua, Nicaragua 
 Dr Glenda Ramírez 
 Pbx: (505) 2276-8460  
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