Amman - The mid-year report of the executive program for the Economic Modernization Vision, focusing on Jordan’s tourism sector as a global destination, revealed significant progress in the first half of this year. The report highlighted that Jordan welcomed 2.79 million tourists during this period, with tourism revenues reaching JD2.33 billion.
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The report also noted that the tourism sector employed 54,000 workers by the end of the first quarter of this year. Additionally, 138,000 passengers arrived in Jordan via low-cost and regular flights, with a total of 993 flights bringing these visitors to the Kingdom. Unified ticket sales during this period reached 59,000.
Progress has also been made in developing archaeological and tourist sites. The Citadel Mountain project, part of the initiative to provide integrated tourism services, has reached a 55 percent completion rate. Preparations are ongoing to finalize the studies and designs for the Jerash archaeological site, in anticipation of launching the tender for its implementation.
The report further detailed efforts to enhance Jordan’s connectivity with target countries. By the end of the first half of this year, approximately 123,000 passengers arrived in Jordan via contracted low-cost airlines, flying on 919 aircraft from 18 different destinations. Regular flights brought 15,000 passengers from Washington to Amman on United Airlines. Moreover, a charter flight from Slovakia to Aqaba in June carried 111 passengers, and efforts are underway to attract more flights from other countries.
New agreements have also been reached to improve flight connectivity. Jazeera Airways will operate two weekly flights from Kuwait to Aqaba for the winter season of 2024-2025, and Ethiopian Airlines will commence seven weekly flights from Addis Ababa to Amman, further linking Jordan with the African continent and beyond.
In terms of heritage preservation and development, the report confirmed the completion of the maintenance and restoration of Falah Al-Hamad Heritage House in As-Salt and the documentation of Barqa’a Archaeological Palace in Ruwaished. Ongoing efforts include maintaining, restoring, and rehabilitating several archaeological sites across the Kingdom, including the Byzantine Church and the Ayla Islamic Site in Aqaba, the Christian Pilgrimage Trail, the Dhiban Archaeological Site, Makawir Archaeological Site in Madaba, Shobak Castle in Ma’an, and the Jerash Archaeological Wall.
The construction of a warehouse building to preserve archaeological pieces has been completed, with all archaeological holdings transferred to the new Nujes Center for the Preservation of Archaeological Holdings. To protect archaeological and tourist sites, electronic gates have been planned, and a tender has been issued to install cameras in selected locations.
The amended Tourism Law for 2024, published in the Official Gazette, introduces a fund for tourism sector development, replaces the licensing system with an approval system for tourism activities, and aims to promote sustainable tourism while protecting heritage and natural resources. Additionally, the law simplifies procedures, which is expected to attract more tourists and bolster the local economy.
Draft legislation related to various aspects of tourism, including site management, hotel operations, and traditional crafts, has been completed and published for consultation on the Ministry's website.
Product and experience development initiatives have also advanced. Projects such as the Rum Village Expansion and Wadi Rum Road Rehabilitation are underway, with design stages initiated for the Wadi Rum Gate and Facade Improvement projects.
In Karak, studies have been completed to activate the surroundings of Karak Castle, and in Salt, specifications have been prepared for multiple locations, including Hammam Street and Al-Khader Street, with coordination ongoing with the municipality for project implementation. Jerash has seen the development of a comprehensive plan to link the archaeological site with the urban city.
The cultural tourism trails project has also made progress, with the first trail launched from Ma'an, connecting Ma'an City to Ram and Disah. Preparations are underway to launch additional trails in Makawir and Jerash. A tender for the South Beach Development Project in Aqaba has been awarded, and work is proceeding with the necessary procedures to start implementation. Additionally, the Jordan Trail association's website and application have been updated, and service providers in Ajloun Governorate have received training.
The "Our Jordan is Paradise" program continues to boost domestic tourism by offering subsidized experiences and trips at preferential prices, including free transportation and tourist escorts. The program achieved a 122 percent growth in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2023, benefiting 150,000 participants and 130 tourist offices, 93 restaurants, and 47 hotels and camps.
In terms of supporting tourism projects and investments, the report identified the top 20 diverse tourism investment opportunities, including hotels, camps, and entertainment facilities. These opportunities will be published on the Invest Go website following approval.
A business incubator has been established to support small, medium, and micro-enterprises in the tourism sector. The incubator’s internal regulations and procedures for obtaining financing have been prepared.
Jordan hosted several regional and international conferences, including the 11th Ministerial Cooperative Conference of Asia-Pacific Countries, which saw participation from about 1,000 attendees, generating at least 4,000 hotel nights.
The Jordan Tourism Board has also been active in marketing Jordan as a destination, participating in exhibitions and events to promote adventure tourism and conducting promotional campaigns in key markets.
Efforts to market Jordanian landmarks as filming locations have been bolstered, with historical and heritage sites updated in the Royal Film Commission -Jordan's electronic catalog. A joint promotion plan has been developed with the Jordan Tourism Board.
Finally, training programs in the tourism sector have been updated to better align with labor market requirements. A strategy for training workers in the tourism sector for the years 2024-2026 has been developed, with an executive plan for this year's training program prepared.
An agreement has also been reached with the Vocational Training Corporation to implement training across the governorates, and 11 university students have been trained in various preservation and restoration techniques.
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