The dissolution of Jordan’s Parliament in May 2016 led to the appointment of Hani Al Mulki, a prime minister who is widely considered to be pro-business and who is expected to accelerate ongoing economic reforms aimed at boosting investment and private participation in a number of major planned infrastructure projects. Meanwhile the EU’s move to relax rules-of-origin regulations for Jordan wil
Interview:Nayef Al Fayez What are the key priorities in your administration’s near-term and long-term strategies? NAYEF AL FAYEZ: The biggest challenge we face in the short term is the misperception among some foreigners that Jordan is unsafe. This is something we are actively working to correct. It is also important to maintain a balanced approach that seeks to attract travellers from a…
Firmly anchored to some of the world’s most unique and iconic assets, Jordan’s tourism industry also benefits from a number of competitive advantages. These include the kingdom’s proximity to large regional feeder markets, diverse landscapes and climates, and the presence of major historical and religious sites. However, regional instability has presented a number of challenges in recent years,…
Jordan’s tourism industry benefits greatly from a number of competitive advantages including its proximity to large regional feeder markets, diverse landscapes and climates, and the presence of major historical and religious sites. Although regional instability has dampened visitor numbers in recent years, the industry remains an important pillar of the economy, and continues to expand despite the…
A concerted drive is under way in Jordan to reinvigorate the important tourism sector that has been curtailed by regional instability. The total number of visitors in 2014 dipped 1.2% year-on-year (y-o-y), reaching 5.3m, as the number of tourists arriving on daytrips slipped 7.4% y-o-y to 1.3m, according to data provided by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB). The number of overnight visitors fared slightly…
Interivew:Nidal Katamine Tourism is a major contributor to GDP in Jordan. What plans are there to further develop and expand tourist activities in the Dead Sea? NIDAL KATAMINE: There are currently plans in place to develop several different areas and sites in an effort to adhere to the high standard of quality that we have set for ourselves all around Jordan. We are always striving to maintain…
When Pope Francis arrived in Jordan as part of a Holy Land visit in May 2014, he was bringing with him more than a message of peace. For Jordan’s tourism sector, the Pope’s visit can be seen as a cornerstone in a new push to attract a wide variety of religious tourists to the country. Every year roughly 90,000 tourists visit the baptism site of Jesus Christ, a 6-km strip of land near the Dead Sea…
Contributing some 14% to GDP, Jordan’s tourism sector is a powerhouse of the national economy, and employs roughly 6% of the country’s total workforce. In order to boost the industry, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA), along with several private organisations, such as the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), are seeking to attract investment, both local and foreign, into the kingdom’s hospitality…
While the Jordanian tourism industry is expanding into new areas like adventure and ecotourism, one of the kingdom's more robust tourism niches is medical tourism. Over the past several years, Jordan has emerged as a premier destination in the Middle East for medical needs, given the high quality of health care and relatively low costs for patients. In 2011 when regional events threatened to stifle…
Whilst not endowed with the energy riches of its neighbours, Jordan can count among its blessing several natural advantages in its burgeoning tourism industry. The kingdom offers sweeping desert landscapes, natural hot springs, the rejuvenating shores of the Dead Sea and beaches along the Gulf of Aqaba. This natural landscape is further dotted with numerous religious and historical sites that offer…
