UN stresses on tourism investment

Regional and religious tourism are pivotal to the GCC’s economic diversification strategy, prompting implementation of unique models of engagement to enhance activity in the region. GCC continues to invest in its transport infrastructure by expanding airport capacity, constructing new airports, and building a rail network for better regional and international connectivity.

TT Bureau

The report, ‘Tourism Doing Business: Investment Guidelines’, prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Jordan, provides for a comprehensive overview of the socio-economic reality of the Kingdom, its tourism performance, and investment opportunities. During the conference, attended by high-level officials, investors, and experts from across the region, UN Tourism highlighted the appealing value proposal of Jordon, which has globally recognised UNESCO World Heritage sites, a new wonder of the world, Petra, and unique natural attractions with celebrated therapeutic benefits.

His Execellency Makram Queisi, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, said: “One of Jordan’s driving forces of recovery is the active and solid partnership we have with the private sector. The government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has embarked on legislative reforms targeting investment as a whole by introducing a new investment law and also significant reforms in the tourism law. These reforms are the result of direct and continuous dialogue with the private sector. We are taking solid steps into transforming Jordan into a haven for investors, and with the help of our formidable partnership with UN Tourism and the introduction of the UN Tourism investment guide of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan we are on the right track.”

Natalia Bayona, Executive Director, UN Tourism, who presented the report at the conference, stated: “Jordan offers a one-of-a-kind tourism proposition with a rich umbrella of options that include seven subsectors, such as medical and wellness tourism, film tourism, business or agritourism. This diverse offer is paired with institutional stability, strategic policymaking, and a robust recovery of post-pandemic tourism figures.” Basmah Al-Mayman, Regional Director ME, UN Tourism, said: “Supported by sizeable investments, diverse tourism products and Jordan’s natural beauty, tourism can be an engine of job creation and growth in the country. Tourism investment offers opportunities for economic diversification and market-creation when effectively managed.”

Jordan’s remarkable post-pandemic growth

Jordan is a global destination that has shown its tourism resilience through its outstanding performance during 2023. Some key insights in the ‘Tourism Doing Business – Investing in Jordan’ report include:

• By 2023, Jordan fully recovered from the pandemic with 6.3 million international visitors, an 18.5% increase over the 2019 record.
• Between January and September 2023, trade, restaurants, and hotels have increased their weight in the economy, reaching 12.5% of GDP compared to 11.4% in 2019.
• Tourism employed 54,856 people in 2023, a slight increase from 2019 and representing 4 to 5% of Jordan’s total employed population.