Tourism losses this year reduced to 6 per cent — JTB

AMMAN — Jordan was able to reduce its tourism losses to 6 per cent this year, although the expected loss in revenues was between 20 and 25 per cent, the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) said Monday.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, JTB Director General Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat showcased the board's achievements in targeted markets, in addition to promotional campaigns launched in several countries over the past three months, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Arabiyat said the number of overnight tourists was expected to drop substantially due to regional turmoil, but the JTB's measures contributed to mitigating those effects. Reducing aviation costs will lead to increasing the number of planes coming to King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba and the Amman civil airport in Marka, he added, citing the Cabinet's recent decision to cancel the $60 extra tax fees.

Arabiyat also said that every Jordanian dinar spent on promotion brings returns worth JD31 in tourism revenue, Petra reported. For his part, Jordan Hotels Association President Michael Nazzal said the private sector contributes some JD25 million to tourism promotion.

Ensour, whose visit to the JTB marked the first by a premier since its establishment, stressed that the government has taken several decisions and measures to support the tourism sector. At a meeting with the JTB's board of directors, he called for preparing studies on the most significant challenges still facing the tourism sector.

Jordan has Islamic tourist locations such as the shrines of the companions of Prophet Mohammad, and Christian ones like the Baptism Site, Ensour said, urging the JTB to also promote medical tourism.

He called on the JTB to focus on attracting tourists from new destinations like China, and Asia in general, referring to the importance of promoting and connecting umra (the lesser Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca) routes from countries like Turkey, Malaysia and India to visits to Jordan and Jerusalem.

The premier also talked about encouraging Jordanians to visit tourism and archaeological sites by charging reasonable fees. Tourism Minister Nayef Al Fayez commended the Cabinet's decision to support the JTB to face tourism challenges, Petra reported, adding that he highlighted the government's support and its positive effects on tourist numbers and the revenues the sector generates.

Promotional campaigns in various markets will pay off in 2016, the minister added.