Jordan Times
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
National Tourism Strategy
unveiled
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — The Kingdom on Monday unveiled its long-awaited National Tourism
Strategy with a well-defined plan aimed at reversing years of under-performance
and lagging development within the competitive global tourism market.
Speaking to leading private and public sector representatives in the field, the
strategy's authors said limited investment and a lack of coordination had held
the industry back.
Director of International Development Ireland Matt McNulty, who worked closely
with the National Tourism Council in the formulation of the strategy, said the
Kingdom could achieve substantial gains under the new strategy.
“I believe that Jordan has been under-performing in terms of potential and could
do far better,” McNulty told officials, dignitaries and ASEZA High Commissioner
Akel Biltaji who deputised for His Majesty King Abdullah at the launch.
The six-year strategy aims to attract 12 million visitors between now and 2010
and projects that this increase will generate JD1.3 billion in receipts, JD455
million in annual taxes and create 51,000 new job opportunities.
McNulty, who previously served as director of the Irish Tourism Board, outlined
the steps the Kingdom must take in order to achieve the above aims. These
include the need to strengthen marketing efforts, support product development
and competitiveness, develop human resources, and introduce reforms for an
effective institutional and regulatory framework.
The strategy notes that two-thirds of those working in the tourism industry do
not have sufficient skills or experience to carry out their duties at the
required standard and proposes the development of quality tourism and
hospitality programmes in the curriculum, and a centre for human resource
development.
Minister of Tourism Alia Bouran outlined Jordan's efforts to reform the sector
by adapting legislation to conform with world trends and in a manner conducive
to attracting investment and increasing public-private partnerships.
In terms of marketing, McNulty said the Kingdom must work to attract more
tourists by promoting the country as a safe destination and therefore reduce
people's fears of travelling to the Middle East. This strategy is based on the
Irish experience of tourism recovery following the political crisis in Northern
Ireland during the 1980s. Ireland succeeded in doubling its tourism returns over
a period of five years.
McNulty also noted that expenditure is far lower than it should be and could be
raised by 25 per cent in the first period of the strategy's implementation.
The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), a key private-public sector entity responsible
for marketing Jordan abroad has already received a boost in its budget.
According to Bouran, the government has already increased the JTB's annual
budget to JD8 million this year, up from JD5 million in 2003, under a joint
action with the private sector.
So far, however, they have only received JD2.5 million. The budget for 2005 and
2006 is based on the government allocation of 2 per cent of receipts for
marketing during the strategy period, one per cent of receipts for product
innovation, and one per cent for human resource development. The action plan
also requests an additional JD9.6 million to fund the JTB for the remainder of
2004 and JD14.1 million for 2005, matched by an additional 25 per cent from the
private sector.
For many, the strategy may appear ambitious. The Kingdom has continued to lag
behind other countries in the region over the past 10 years. According to the
World Tourist organisation, nine out of the top 30 emerging tourist destinations
are in the Middle East, but Jordan is not among them.
The country's tourism sector recorded a mere 5.8 per cent average annual growth
rate between 1995 and 2002, compared to the world average of 7 per cent and the
12 per cent annual growth rate in tourist arrivals to the Middle East.
The minister acknowledges the challenges ahead. “We're not saying this path is
not going to be without difficulties or challenges, but we have taken all the
necessary preparations to ensure that it will be carried out according to plan,”
Bouran told The Jordan Times.
The USAID-funded strategy was formulated by the National Tourism Council, which
was tasked with coordinating efforts for tourism development, and proposed
projects, policies, laws and regulations pertaining to the tourism sector.