Jordan Times
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Delegation heads to Berlin for International Tourism Bourse
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — A delegation of local tour and travel industry representatives has left for Berlin to make preparations to market the Kingdom's prize historical attractions at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) this week.The two-day convention, which opens on Friday, is considered a breeding ground for tourism and trade professionals seeking new channels of cooperation with others in the global arena.
The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) will secure a 500 square metre pavilion to showcase some the Kingdom's most distinguished historical and archaeological sites alongside 10,000 other exhibitors from 180 countries.
Minister of Tourism and Environment Alia Bouran and more than 70 individuals from the private sector will also be presenting the latest developments in their service sector.
Bouran is scheduled to meet with German and international media representatives and writers to familiarise them on what the Kingdom has to offer.
The Kingdom's annual participation at the ITB is part of ongoing efforts to promote tourist attractions and enhance links with others in the travel industry.
The country's tourism sector, affected by a global tourism slump post-Sept.11, is being further pressed by regional instabilities — the war in Iraq and ongoing tensions in the neighbouring Palestinian territories.
Jordan is already looking ahead to overcome its ailing tourism industry by forging agreements with countries in South East Asia and Eastern Europe.
The Kingdom signed an agreement with Russia this month under which the two countries agreed to boost cultural exchanges and provide facilities to individual tourists and tour groups visiting either country, at border or entry points and cooperate in hotel training and tourism services.
The JTB also opened a branch in the Russian Federation to help market the Kingdom's tourist attractions and supervise relevant activities in cooperation with Russian tour operators.
Jordan's upcoming participation at the ITB will also help professionals gain from a diverse range of forums that include a seminar on “Crisis Management in Travel,” a workshop on “Business Travel Management,” and tourism industry-related debates.
The ITB, which has held its annual expo since 1966, attracted some 130,000 visitors from 178 countries including 70,000 travel trade visitors last year.