Jordan is sharpening its global tourism strategy with a focus on GCC travellers, Spain, and Spanish-speaking markets. Talking to TravTalk at FITUR, Ramzi Maaytah, MD, Jordan Tourism Board, outlines plans centred on connectivity, experiential tourism, sustainability, and airline partnerships. The destination is leveraging medical, faith, eco, and adventure tourism.
Dr Shehara Rizly Fernando
Jordan’s presence at FITUR was not market-specific but destination-driven, with the Tourism Board promoting the country globally across digital, trade, and consumer platforms. A key priority remains improving air connectivity and seamless access from core source markets, particularly the GCC and Europe. Strong airline partnerships with Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, flynas, flydubai, and Air Arabia support frequent access into Queen Alia International Airport, which handles up to four million passengers annually and serves as a Levant hub.
GCC travellers remain a cornerstone, led by Saudi Arabia, followed by the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. Jordan’s cooler summer climate, family-friendly cities, shopping, agritourism, and culinary heritage — including the national dish mansaf — continue to resonate with Gulf visitors. Education tourism is another strong pillar, with GCC students enrolling in Jordanian universities and generating visiting-friends-and-relatives travel.
Beyond leisure, Jordan is strengthening its positioning in medical and wellness tourism, supported by a strong regional reputation for specialised healthcare. The Dead Sea’s therapeutic environment and a network of accredited hospitals attract both expatriates and GCC nationals seeking treatment and recovery. Faith tourism remains a major growth segment. Christian pilgrims visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where the 2,000-year anniversary of the baptism of Jesus will be marked in 2030. Islamic heritage sites across the country further reinforce Jordan’s multi-faith appeal.
Adventure and eco-tourism are also expanding, with products such as the Jordan Trail, canyoning, mountain experiences, and community-based tourism. Aqaba’s marine park offers some of the Red Sea’s best preserved coral reefs, while protected areas such as Azraq Wetland Reserve highlight Jordan’s biodiversity and wildlife conservation, including Arabian oryx reintroduction. Sustainability is central to the strategy.
