Updated strategy to guide tourism development
Amman - The first meeting of the Tourism Competitiveness Team (TCT), which is tasked with updating the National Tourism Strategy (NTS), took place this morning chaired by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, H.E. Mrs. Maha Al Khatib. This inaugural meeting initiates the updating of the strategy and the development of specific action plans for the next 5 years. It will also address short term concerns resulting from the current global financial crisis and the long term development and growth of the tourism sector.
“Jordan’s tourism sector has come a long way since the National Tourism Strategy was launched in 2004 .Today there is still much potential for further development, especially in light of increased global challenges such as the financial crisis and growing international competition,” said H.E. Mrs. Khatib. “This meeting is the first step in building on our achievements and planning for an even better, more competitive tourism product.”
Ms. Lina Annab, General Manager of Zara Investment Holding Co., commented on the initiative, saying, “The updated Jordan Tourism Strategy will be a key reference providing us with a fresh list of set, prioritized and achievable clear goals based on the input of major stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in the tourism industry. It is a multidisciplinary collective effort leading to a chain of action plans that will be as strong and effective as its weakest link. The success or failure of this strategy will heavily depend on the extent of commitment and support that it receives from each and every player involved.”
The TCT was launched last month by the MoTA minister and it is made up of representatives from both the private and public sectors, and chaired by the minister. As well as updating the NTS, the initiative seeks to weave in the World Economic Forum (WEF) tourism competitiveness criteria as a tool to support the monitoring and evaluation of strategy implementation efforts. The TCT includes representatives from ASEZA, Department of Antiquities, Jordan Tourism Board, industry members, as well as the USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project II, which is supporting this initiative.
The NTS is being updated in order to guide development of Jordan’s tourism sector by creating a complete tourist experience rather than just providing products and services, so that Jordan can compete globally. The strategy will set targets that aim to raise the quality of service and diversify the products and facilities offered to meet international requirements and increase the number of international visitors.
The USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project II is supporting this initiative by facilitating the update process and providing technical expertise and coordination support.