Merging of local communities a must for a prosperous tourism industry
Article publish in Al Ghad newspaper, 12 May 2009
Experts agree that the best way to ensure the commitment of local communities to tourism in Jordan would be to involve these communities in small and medium size enterprises (SME) that would guarantee that they become stakeholders in the sector. This would also benefit them in the long run, ensuring sustained development of these communities and the tourism sector.
One of the experts, Dr Basem Tweisi, went as far as saying that some major tourist projects have failed precisely because they failed to involve the local communities in their development process. He added that many studies worldwide support this hypothesis.
Last year saw a rise in investment in the tourism sector, reaching about $ 4 billion and was mostly focused on creating new products. The returns on such projects, according to American and French studies, would be amplified should local communities be involved.
He also added that the development of Petra was stunted as a primary tourist destination because most projects ignored the role of the local communities in the development of the ‘rose’ city. Tweisi blamed the tourism sector, both its public and private wings, in integrating the products and services and ensuring their quality.
He also said there is a misappropriation of investment where some areas with great potential like Ajloun are ignored while most private investment goes for the true and tried, but the result has been a glut in areas, and economic anemia in others. In short, investment should be in people as much as in places.
Dr Fawaz Hamad, another speaker, spoke of the lack of awareness on the grassroots level of the massive benefits of a successful and prosperous tourism industry. This alienation has made the locals passive or even negative towards tourists. Furthermore, because there is a perception, some of it based on reality, that the sector is defrauding the local communities, the natural response is for the local communities to con the tourist, which is detrimental to all.
Dr. Ibrahim Kurdi went even further, saying that alienation can result in antagonism between the local community and the tourist, maybe even leading to violence. He reiterated that sustainable socioeconomic development demands a partnership with local communities.
Last year, the sector employed more than 38,290 people compared to 34,400 in the previous year. Forty percent of this number was employed by restaurants.
HE Maha El Khateeb, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, said earlier that only a real merger between the big projects and the local communities, or the big capital with SME’s, would ensure the success and prosperity of the tourism sector in Jordan. Without a mutual beneficial relationship between the two, the loyalty and diligence of local communities can never be guaranteed.