The Jordanian Association for Inbound Tourism Demands Urgent Decisions to Protect the Sector and Enhance Competitiveness
Amman3 min read
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The Jordanian Association for Inbound Tourism has called on the relevant government authorities to take urgent decisions to protect the inbound tourism sector and maintain the sustainability of tourism companies and their employees, emphasizing that the current phase requires a genuine partnership between the public and private sectors and the involvement of sector representatives in decision-making.
The Association appreciates the role played by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Tourism Promotion Authority in marketing and promoting Jordan, and the efforts made to search for new tourist markets and open up prospects for Jordanian tourism, affirming that enhancing these efforts and integrating them with the expertise of inbound tourism companies and their direct knowledge of global markets will achieve greater results and support Jordan's presence and competitiveness on the global tourism map.
The Association emphasized that inbound tourism companies represent a key link in the national tourism system, as they are the direct link with tour organizers and global markets. Therefore, it demands their inclusion in all decisions and marketing plans, granting them a seat on the board of the Tourism Promotion Authority, and representation on the planning committee, to ensure that decisions are based on actual experience with market needs and challenges.
The Association also called for the cancellation and review of all platforms and mechanisms that could weaken the markets or create unfair competition with inbound tourism companies, warning that the continuation of these practices weakens Jordanian companies and affects their relationship with their partners abroad, and may lead to tour organizers refraining from marketing Jordan and shifting their programs to competing destinations.
In the context of maintaining the sustainability of the sector, the Association called for supporting the salaries of employees in inbound tourism companies to prevent layoffs and preserve specialized skills and expertise, affirming that the loss of this expertise will complicate the process of restoring tourism activity and markets when conditions improve.
The Association also called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates to take urgent diplomatic action with countries that impose restrictions on travel to Jordan or issue warnings against traveling there, and to work to cancel or ease these restrictions and reconsider Jordan's classification on international travel lists and advice, as this has a direct impact on tourists' decisions, tour organizers, and airlines.
The Association also calls for attracting low-cost airlines and opening direct air routes from target markets, which will help reduce travel costs, facilitate tourists' access to Jordan, and enhance the Kingdom's tourism competitiveness.
The Association called on the government and relevant authorities to strengthen dialogue and direct engagement with representatives of inbound tourism, affirming its full readiness to cooperate and provide its expertise to serve the national interest and enhance Jordan's position as a competitive tourist destination.
