Tourism
From The Report: Jordan 2014
View in Online Reader

Tourism accounts for 14% of Jordan’s GDP, with receipts in 2014 up 10% year-on-year. Efforts are under way to diversify Jordan’s tourism offerings with an emphasis being placed on religious tourism, aimed particularly at visitors from East Asia, while Jordan’s medical infrastructure remains one of the country’s most valuable tourism assets with the World Bank ranking Jordan the top medical tourism destination in the Middle East and fifth in the world in 2011. Adventure and eco-tourism is also on the rise, as part of the kingdom’s wider push to attract younger visitors. Meanwhile, new luxury developments in the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea demonstrate Jordan’s intention of establishing itself as a major holiday destination in the region.

This chapter contains an interview with Nidal Katamine, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Focusing on niche markets to expand the sector
OBG
plus

Whilst not endowed with the energy riches of its neighbours, Jordan can count among its blessing several natural advantages in its burgeoning tourism industry. The kingdom offers sweeping desert landscapes, natural hot springs, the rejuvenating shores of the Dead Sea and beaches along the Gulf of Aqaba. This natural landscape is further dotted with numerous religious and historical sites that offer visitors a peek into the country’s rich past. For religious tourists of all backgrounds, Jordan is…

Analysis

On tour: Combining quality and affordability for attractive care
OBG
plus

While the Jordanian tourism industry is expanding into new areas like adventure and ecotourism, one of the kingdom's more robust tourism niches is medical tourism. Over the past several years, Jordan has emerged as a premier destination in the Middle East for medical needs, given the high quality of health care and relatively low costs for patients. In 2011 when regional events threatened to stifle tourism, Jordan’s medical tourism industry expanded. The sector has since been in a period of steady…

Analysis

Sector expansion spurs construction
OBG
plus

Contributing some 14% to GDP, Jordan’s tourism sector is a powerhouse of the national economy, and employs roughly 6% of the country’s total workforce. In order to boost the industry, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA), along with several private organisations, such as the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), are seeking to attract investment, both local and foreign, into the kingdom’s hospitality infrastructure. In the realm of luxury hotels and the development of large tourism projects…

Analysis

A divine path: New initiatives promote religious tourism
OBG
plus

When Pope Francis arrived in Jordan as part of a Holy Land visit in May 2014, he was bringing with him more than a message of peace. For Jordan’s tourism sector, the Pope’s visit can be seen as a cornerstone in a new push to attract a wide variety of religious tourists to the country. Every year roughly 90,000 tourists visit the baptism site of Jesus Christ, a 6-km strip of land near the Dead Sea that is said to be the location where Jesus was immersed in the waters of the Jordan River. Jordan…

Interview

OBG talks to Nidal Katamine, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities
OBG
plus

Interivew:Nidal Katamine Tourism is a major contributor to GDP in Jordan. What plans are there to further develop and expand tourist activities in the Dead Sea? NIDAL KATAMINE: There are currently plans in place to develop several different areas and sites in an effort to adhere to the high standard of quality that we have set for ourselves all around Jordan. We are always striving to maintain and improve our offerings in order to accommodate visitors from all across the world and all walks…