Tourism in Jordan is one of the most important sectors that fuel its economy, as it constitutes 18 percent of the gross domestic product. About 2.36 million tourists visited the country in 2021, compared to 1.9 million tourists in 2020.

Despite the high number of tourists, specialists believe that tourist places still need more attention and the involvement of the private sector, by modernizing the infrastructure and establishing investment projects to attract more tourists.

Complaints were registered with the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Promotion Authority by some tourists, regarding the lack of toilets in tourist areas, in addition to claims for the need to improve services.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Malabeh, the discoverer of the largest tunnel in the world, the 170-kilometer-long Yarmouk Decapolis tunnel, pointed out the lack of interest in tourist areas, in addition to the lack of investments that help improve the tourism environment, criticizing the exclusion of the Jordanian Hamma region from the tourist map since 2006 instead of its reconstruction. .

He noted the discovery of approximately 125 volcanic tunnels in northeastern Jordan, the average length of each of which reaches 1.5 kilometers, and only five tunnels have been reclaimed, indicating that there are 50 archaeological sites not included on the tourist map, adding, “If the Ministry of Tourism cared about the discovered places Recently, its annual income will increase to 5 billion dinars annually (the Jordanian dinar equals 1.41 US dollars), with the employment of more than 100 thousand unemployed.

Medical Tourism

In 2022, Minister of Health Firas al-Hawari inaugurated the activities of the Global Forum for Medical Tourism under the slogan “Amman, the Capital of Arab Medicine,” with the aim of highlighting Jordan as a destination for medical tourism, which increased by 25 percent in 2022.

The vision of investing in medical tourism in Jordan is in line with the economic modernization plan launched by the government of Bishr Al-Khasawneh to develop the health sector and preserve Jordan’s position in the region and keep it in first place for treatment.

The Dead Sea, the Ma’in baths, the Jordanian Himma region, and the Afra baths are among the most prominent therapeutic tourist sites, due to their volcanic mud, mild weather, natural salts, and hot waters.

The main problem is the absence of the authorities concerned with interest in archaeological tourist sites and the absence of a tourist map in the governorates of the Kingdom, which constitutes a major obstacle to improving the tourism symbolism of Jordan, according to Dr. Muhammad Wahib, a professor of archeology at the Hashemite University.

Wahib points out that the city of Petra is a model city with all services, and that there are nearly half a million archaeological sites in Jordan, thousands of which are documented, calling for attention to be paid to it in order to generate more revenues and attract tourists.

Wahib asked about the preparations by the concerned authorities for the “NEOM” project, which will reach Aqaba, calling for raising the level of tourism services in the city to a level that is equivalent to the magnitude of the project.

Umm Qais village

Last year, the World Tourism Organization selected the village of Umm Qais among the best tourist villages in the world among 136 villages from all countries, after meeting the required requirements, according to a press release issued by the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism.

The town of Umm Qais, about 120 km away from the administrative capital, Amman, is characterized by its long history, and tourists can enjoy stunning views of the Golan Heights and Lake Kinneret.

Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum is one of the tourist areas that witness a great demand by tourists because it distinguishes it from the rest of the sites with a safe tourist environment, and it is about 250 km from the capital, Amman, near the Saudi border.

Wadi Rum suffers from a lack of public services and the absence of high-quality hotels, shops, and restaurants, which is what specialists are calling for to find real investment, attract more tourists, and then supply the public budget.

Ajloun cable car

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jordanian Group for Free and Development Zones, Dr. Khalaf Al-Hmisat, said that the Ajloun cable car project, which cost nearly 13 million dinars, witnessed a quantum leap in promoting internal and external tourism to Jordan.

He added that the project was carried out according to international specifications and gave an aesthetic impression and a great legacy to the ancient city of Ajloun, indicating that there is an intention to involve the private sector to establish private investments near the project after the success it achieved.

Jerash and Ajloun

The cities of Jerash and Ajloun are among the tourist areas that witness great demand by foreign tourists, Arabs and Jordanians, due to their stunning scenery and beautiful nature.

A number of those interested in the tourism issue demanded the need to provide logistical services and infrastructure for their reflection on the tourism return, and to promote in a more effective way for both cities, as they need attention in paving roads and extending electricity, water and sanitation, which prevents tourists from staying for a long time.

Social activist Muhammad al-Zaghoul believes that both Ajloun and Jerash are witnessing a good tourism movement in light of the lack of services and the lack of investments and tourism projects that reduce the unemployment rate and address poverty.

Lack of services

Secretary of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agents Basem Al-Ghalayini said that all tourist sites in Jordan suffer from a lack of logistical services, which is reflected on tourists, pointing out that the archaeological sites are owned by the Department of Antiquities and have their status and symbolism, which is why the private sector is not involved in their development.

Regarding the most important tourist sites visited by visitors, Al-Ghalayini said that Petra, Aqaba, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and the northern regions are a destination for tourism from the Gulf countries.

The Director General of the Tourism Promotion Authority, Dr. Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat, explains that the authority’s role is limited to marketing and promotion inside and outside Jordan, and that public services are the prerogative of the Ministry of Tourism and Public Antiquities.

He pointed out that archaeological sites in the past witnessed complaints from some tourists because of the level of toilets, but they have now been developed to international standards, noting that the ministry has introduced the private sector to improve some archaeological sites.

Abroad tourism

Jordanian data indicate an increase in spending on tourism outside Jordan by 8.0 million dinars during the month of September of last year, and that the total spending on foreign tourism amounted to 115.9 million dollars, or 11.6 percent.

The data issued by the Central Bank of Jordan recorded an increase in tourism income during the first third of 2023, recording a value of 1.570 billion dinars, with a growth rate of 78.2 percent.

According to a report issued by the World Tourism Organization, Jordan is the eighth destination in the world with the most growth in international tourism revenues, as it grew by 31 percent compared to 2019.

Arabic Independent