REPORT – JORDAN – UNWTO: During the UNWTO Conference in Dead Sea, Jordan Tourism Board, JTB, announced that new offices were established in Brazil, in South Africa, and in Asia in order to work with key players in the local markets and to enhance the visitor experience in Jordan. JTB, also, plans to establish more offices in selected markets in the next couple of years…
REPORT – JORDAN – UNWTO: During the UNWTO Conference in Dead Sea, Jordan Tourism Board, JTB, announced that new offices were established in Brazil, in South Africa, and in Asia in order to work with key players in the local markets and to enhance the visitor experience in Jordan. JTB, also, plans to establish more offices in selected markets in the next couple of years.
Recognizing the value of the MICE sector, Dr Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director of Jordan Tourism Board, mentioned that a special unit within the JTB will be developed in the near future especially for the MICE and the business travel.
Dr Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization, UNWTO, mentioned that in the first quarter of 2012 the increase in tourism arrivals in the Middle East is about 5%, a number that exceeds the forecasts. For Jordan, the increase, in the same period, was 10% as the country didn’t affect direct from the ‘Arab spring’. On the other hand, Tunisia and Egypt face a dramatic decrease, while the Gulf countries were the big beneficiary.
Jordan experienced a steady increase in tourism during the first decade of the 21st century. Over eight million tourism arrivals in 2010 of which 4.55 million were overnight visitors, a 20.3% increase in overnight visitors on 2009. Tourism expenditure reached more than 2,745 billion euros which contributed 12,4% to the national GDP. Direct employment reached 41,900 in 2010 and is estimated to support several hundred thousand full time-equivalent jobs economy-wide when the full multiplier impact is accounted for.
As far as it concerns the tourism investment in Jordan, investors from all over the world are invited to take advantage of a vibrant and very promising tourism industry. Large resorts and boutique attractions are under construction. The plan for 2015 predicts 5,000 new rooms.
The new National Tourism Strategy 2011 – 2015 for Jordan is designed to build on the solid foundation established since 2004 and provide the necessary direction for stakeholders in tourism by presenting a clear path forward to underpin future growth. Its development and implementation will be guided by a vision and a mission that are adapted from those within the first NTS in order to focus attention on the need to further develop a distinctive, unique and competitive tourism industry.
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