Two Karakalpakstani travel agencies penalized for advertising Umrah pilgrimage services without license

The Competition Development and Consumer Rights Protection Committee of Karakalpakstan received a complaint from the Karakalpakstan Tourism Development Committee concerning the advertising activities of various tour operators. An investigation revealed that there are currently no licensed tour operators in the Republic of Karakalpakstan authorized to organize Umrah pilgrimage services. Instead, local firms collaborate with travel agencies in Tashkent city and other regions for pilgrimage arrangements.

Despite this, Iskander Tours and Oks Tours have been found advertising Umrah pilgrimage services on social media without the required licenses. Under Article 16 of the Law on Advertising, it is prohibited to advertise services without the necessary certificates, licenses, compulsory certification documents, or special permissions for production and/or sale.

Following the regulations, the committee's special commission took legal action against both travel agencies, resulting in the initiation of cases and the imposition of corresponding penalties. Additionally, the agencies were instructed to eliminate the identified violations and prevent similar incidents in the future.

As a reminder, the Tourism Committee publishes a list of travel agencies licensed to organize Umrah pilgrimages. This list is presented in a rating system format, highlighting the activity levels and compliance of the organizations involved.