06 June 2006
With a hot summer distinctly looming ahead Jordan's arms are wide open to embrace tourists especially with the tourism campaign the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) has launched recently. The plan in the first focuses on the 2006 summer season activities the kingdom will employ in attracting tourists from the Gulf Areas.
Its main goal is to highlight Jordan's touristic capabilities among Gulf area tourists, who form a major part of Jordan's tourism market, relying on family orientated festivals, recreational, cultural, therapeutic and educational activities. Its aim is to affirm the quality of tourism in Jordan. Over 1,250,000 tourists from the Gulf area, 527,000 of whom rented property during their visit to the Kingdom, visited Jordan in 2005.
However, the grand total of tourists between the month of February and March 2006 reached up to 605,777 from across the world. The income resulting from tourism during the first three months of 2006 according to the Central Bank's statistics was JD204.3m.
"The relationship we at JTB have with local, regional, Arab and international media bodies formulates a vital part of our message," Mazen al Hamoud, the general manager of JTB, said during a press conference, "we make sure that we keep this relationship going." During the course of last month JTB received media bodies from Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and The United Arab Emirates (UAE). At the moment they are planning to receive reporters from Saudi Arabia. According to al Hamoud the purpose of taking Arab reporters on a grand tour in Jordan is to acquaint them personally with the Kingdom's qualities as a favorable tourism destination.
"JTB very much depends on journalist delegations from the Arab region and internationally to promote Jordan and attract tourists from many different countries," al Hamoud added. The reporters toured the streets of the capital, visited malls and restaurants, recreational centers and a health and therapeutic spa. They also visited the Dead Sea area that has developed very rapidly over the past few years.
Part of the plan will include publishing a specialized advert entitled Jordan: the Best Summer in Gulf area newspapers in order to promote Jordan as a tourism destination among its citizens during the coming summer. 500,000 copies of the advert are also to be distributed to arrivals at the Queen Alia International Airport. According to their website the JTB states that part of its marketing strategies they are "planning and executing an integrated program of international promotional activities."
Programs that will include "active participation in trade fairs; trade workshops; trade and consumer road shows; familiarization trips; press trips; brochure and multimedia production in addition to media relations, which is one of its important approaches to advertise tourism in Jordan." In the meantime the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Munir Nasar, expressed his optimism regarding the current touristic season.
According to the ministry's latest statistics the grand total of arrivals to Jordan during the first quarter of this year has rapidly increased. Nasar attributed the rise to Jordan diverse tourism, security and stability and Jordan significance as a touristic destination and connecting point on the regional and international traveling route. The marketing plans basically revolve around promoting Jordan as a safe and hospitable touristic haven with a rich, diverse and well-integrated touristic atmosphere that attracts tourists from all over the world.
"To carry out its goals JTB utilizes the services of eleven offices in Europe and the United States," the websites further states. al Hamoud further added that Jordan's tourism "product" very much depends on competition that derives its strength from facilitating tourism procedures that in turn diversifies the whole touristic experience of the Kingdom.
Part of it relies on developing and coming up with new touristic ventures that are in synch with the countries historical monuments, ruins and sights, al Hamoud explained. Focusing the tourism sector's developmental efforts on enhancing convention and sport tourism, plus eco-tourism and directing new investments to new areas in order to create a well-balanced geographical distribution of the countries touristic services and updating air, sea and land entry points is also an important aspect within the whole process. "The open air space policy is also one way to facilitate access to Jordan for tourists," al Hamoud added.
With a hot summer distinctly looming ahead Jordan's arms are wide open to embrace tourists especially with the tourism campaign the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) has launched recently. The plan in the first focuses on the 2006 summer season activities the kingdom will employ in attracting tourists from the Gulf Areas.
Its main goal is to highlight Jordan's touristic capabilities among Gulf area tourists, who form a major part of Jordan's tourism market, relying on family orientated festivals, recreational, cultural, therapeutic and educational activities. Its aim is to affirm the quality of tourism in Jordan. Over 1,250,000 tourists from the Gulf area, 527,000 of whom rented property during their visit to the Kingdom, visited Jordan in 2005.
However, the grand total of tourists between the month of February and March 2006 reached up to 605,777 from across the world. The income resulting from tourism during the first three months of 2006 according to the Central Bank's statistics was JD204.3m.
"The relationship we at JTB have with local, regional, Arab and international media bodies formulates a vital part of our message," Mazen al Hamoud, the general manager of JTB, said during a press conference, "we make sure that we keep this relationship going." During the course of last month JTB received media bodies from Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and The United Arab Emirates (UAE). At the moment they are planning to receive reporters from Saudi Arabia. According to al Hamoud the purpose of taking Arab reporters on a grand tour in Jordan is to acquaint them personally with the Kingdom's qualities as a favorable tourism destination.
"JTB very much depends on journalist delegations from the Arab region and internationally to promote Jordan and attract tourists from many different countries," al Hamoud added. The reporters toured the streets of the capital, visited malls and restaurants, recreational centers and a health and therapeutic spa. They also visited the Dead Sea area that has developed very rapidly over the past few years.
Part of the plan will include publishing a specialized advert entitled Jordan: the Best Summer in Gulf area newspapers in order to promote Jordan as a tourism destination among its citizens during the coming summer. 500,000 copies of the advert are also to be distributed to arrivals at the Queen Alia International Airport. According to their website the JTB states that part of its marketing strategies they are "planning and executing an integrated program of international promotional activities."
Programs that will include "active participation in trade fairs; trade workshops; trade and consumer road shows; familiarization trips; press trips; brochure and multimedia production in addition to media relations, which is one of its important approaches to advertise tourism in Jordan." In the meantime the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Munir Nasar, expressed his optimism regarding the current touristic season.
According to the ministry's latest statistics the grand total of arrivals to Jordan during the first quarter of this year has rapidly increased. Nasar attributed the rise to Jordan diverse tourism, security and stability and Jordan significance as a touristic destination and connecting point on the regional and international traveling route. The marketing plans basically revolve around promoting Jordan as a safe and hospitable touristic haven with a rich, diverse and well-integrated touristic atmosphere that attracts tourists from all over the world.
"To carry out its goals JTB utilizes the services of eleven offices in Europe and the United States," the websites further states. al Hamoud further added that Jordan's tourism "product" very much depends on competition that derives its strength from facilitating tourism procedures that in turn diversifies the whole touristic experience of the Kingdom.
Part of it relies on developing and coming up with new touristic ventures that are in synch with the countries historical monuments, ruins and sights, al Hamoud explained. Focusing the tourism sector's developmental efforts on enhancing convention and sport tourism, plus eco-tourism and directing new investments to new areas in order to create a well-balanced geographical distribution of the countries touristic services and updating air, sea and land entry points is also an important aspect within the whole process. "The open air space policy is also one way to facilitate access to Jordan for tourists," al Hamoud added.
© The Star 2006
