Economic indicators have proven the importance of tourism to Jordan; therefore, inbound tourism is a tributary for national exports. The International Monetary Fund has indicated that tourism became the Kingdom's largest service export before the COVID-19 pandemic, and its revenues reached about 10% of the GDP in 2019. Its studies also showed a positive correlation between tourism growth and other sectors, such as hotels, restaurants, construction, industry, and financial services.
This means that the impact of tourism is not limited to tourism companies and hotels, but extends to various links in the national economy, including transportation, trade, handicrafts, agricultural products, food industries, and logistics services.
Therefore, considering inbound tourism an export industry should not remain merely an economic description; it has become an absolute necessity that should be transformed into a clear national policy reflected in legislation, incentives, financing, taxes, and export support programs.
When calling for inbound tourism to be considered an export industry, the focus is on the official recognition of the export nature of the activities practiced by inbound tourism companies, particularly tour operators and those attracting tourism groups from global markets, as well as the marketing and promotion costs and commercial risks they bear, which are linked to the political, economic, and security conditions in the region.
This entails the necessity of studying the inclusion of these companies in export and service support programs, and providing financial, tax, and financing incentives commensurate with their contribution to bringing in foreign currency, according to clear criteria that ensure efficiency, fairness, and financial sustainability.
It is also necessary to provide accessible financing tools that help companies develop their tourism products, open new markets, participate in international exhibitions, implement promotional campaigns, and overcome crises that may lead to a decline in bookings and revenues despite the continuation of operational and financial obligations. It is also of great importance to provide programs to protect tourism labor and preserve the accumulated expertise in this sector; losing talent during crises means the Kingdom may have to rebuild its operational capabilities when markets recover after the successive crises the sector has suffered.
Adopting tourism as a strategic economic industry rather than just a service sector requires a change in thinking and planning. Instead of viewing tourism as an activity affected only by seasons and regional conditions, it must be treated as a national industry capable of competing in international markets, with production inputs, export outputs, value chains, and investment and employment opportunities. Every tourism group attracted to Jordan, every hotel night sold, and every tourism program marketed abroad represents an opportunity to bring in foreign currency, stimulate the economy, and provide job opportunities, not to mention that it exports Jordan's services, expertise, history, and heritage to the world, and transforms its cultural and natural assets into added economic value.
