Speaking to TTG at WTM London, Dr Abed Al-Razzaq Arabiyat, managing director of the Jordan Tourist Board, said the country’s tourism industry had so far managed to navigate the regional instability over the past year without significant repercussions, reporting only a small drop in tourist numbers.
International arrivals for the nine months to 30 September 2024 dropped by 6% year-on-year to 4.7 million, although arrivals from the UK took a bigger dip, down by nearly a quarter (23%) to 27,451
“There’s a misconception about Jordan – we are the calm house amid noisy neighbours,” said Dr Arabiyat. “We have kept our skies open, we don’t have common borders with Gaza, we’re far away from what’s happening. But still people have some concerns and are afraid to come.”
Dr Arabiyat said the destination had invested heavily in marketing to portray the country as a safe and attractive destination. This effort has involved bringing foreign media and influencers to the country, as well as sharing the positive experiences of western tourists.
Moreover, the Jordan Tourism Board has maintained spend dedicated to trade – travel agent and tour operator – relationships, and sought to diversify its offering by placing a focus on wellness, adventure and religion.
"Jordan is home to 34 biblical sites, as well as five Vatican-acknowledged Christian pilgrimage sites,” added Dr Fares Braizat, chief commissioner of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority. “We’re trying to diversify our products in order to build on that existing infrastructure.”
The country has also renewed agreements with low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Wizz Air in the hope of attracting more western visitors, but is also targeting new markets such as Asia, Africa and Latin America.
“We are trying to mitigate [the war’s impact] by partnering with low-cost carriers and adding more flights from different European countries,” Dr Braizat added.
