Hijazi: Mixed Martial Arts Week is an opportunity to introduce a new audience to Jordan
Amman4 min read
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Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Dr. Emad Hijazi said that the "Jordan Mixed Martial Arts Week" constitutes an opportunity to reach a new audience of sports followers, introduce them to tourist sites and experiences offered by Jordan, and encourage them to visit the Kingdom.
This came during the press conference for the "DF UNCAGED" championship, which was held today, Tuesday, at the Fairmont Amman Hotel, to announce the launch of the week and review its program, with the participation of representatives of the organizing bodies and a number of fighters and coaches. The conference began with a minute of silence for the souls of the martyrs who died as a result of terrorism.
Hijazi explained that holding the matches in the Roman Amphitheater and organizing activities for athletes at the Dead Sea make the location part of the event experience and the image that the audience retains of it, allowing for building on the interest in sports to promote Jordan and its tourist destinations.
He pointed out that the guests' experience includes meeting Jordanians and learning about their food, culture, and daily life, which helps the audience following them from abroad to envision visiting the Kingdom and learn about what they can experience there.
He indicated that the ambition is to turn this interest into actual visits, and to encourage visitors to extend their stay and discover more than one destination, which will benefit hotels, restaurants, tour guides, and service providers in the governorates.
Hijazi expressed his appreciation to the Jordan Tourism Board, the companies "Maqana 360" and "Jordan Combat Consulting," the Jordan Mixed Martial Arts Federation, and the official authorities and partners for preparing and organizing the week, noting the role of the media in promoting the competitions and the sites hosting them.
The week is organized by "Maqana 360" and "Jordan Combat Consulting," under the supervision of the Jordan Mixed Martial Arts Federation, and with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board, and a number of public and private sector bodies and institutions. The organizers explained that the championship was held on the initiative of the Ministry and the Board as part of their trend to develop events related to sports tourism.
The Executive Director of "Jordan Combat Consulting," Zaid Mirza, presented the details of organizing the event, while the founder and CEO of "Maqana 360," Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Hussami, addressed the role of the media in promoting the championship and its activities and reaching its audience, saying that we start by understanding the audience we want to reach and what matters to them in all markets. A person might follow a player they love, and through them discover a place in Jordan. Our mission is to help them know this place, and what they can experience there if they decide to visit.
Also speaking during the conference was Javier Mendez, founder of the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) and coach of a number of world champions in mixed martial arts, including Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.
Mendez described the treatment of the fighters in the championship as the best he has witnessed, and said that he had not felt a similar level of attention in his experiences with other entities, including the "UFC."
The championship's General Manager, Mohammed Mirza, introduced eight of the participating fighters: Mohammed Barkhamov, Dante Schiro, Andrew Sanchez, and Mikhail Ragozin, alongside Jordanians Frieh Al-Harahsheh, Abdullah Jawish, Zaki Kayali, and Yazan Blawi. He said that the experience the fighters are gaining is a global one, and the experience they will receive will be different.
The week's program includes open training sessions on the Dead Sea Corniche tomorrow, Wednesday, October 28, and the weigh-in ceremony at the Citadel on the day after tomorrow, Thursday, October 29, leading up to the "DF UNCAGED" championship matches at the Roman Amphitheater in Amman on Friday, October 30.
