Jordan Joins World In Celebrating World Tourism Day

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, Sept. 27 (Petra)-- Under the theme "Tourism and Peace," Jordan joins the rest of the globe in celebrating "World tourism Day," which falls on September 27 of each year.
"The significance of this day lies in shedding light on this active and vital sector that effectively and immediately contributes to supporting the national Economy and developing local communities by providing sustainable services and promoting small and medium enterprises," said Lina Annab, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, in a press release.
She continued: "The Jordanian tourism sector has witnessed remarkable development over the past 25 years through significant increases in the number of hotels and tourist restaurants and the advanced and modern tourist transportation system, in addition to increasing training programs, institutes and colleges specialized in graduating groups of Jordanian women and men professionals and workers in the sector today in Jordan and neighboring countries, in addition to the infrastructure, services and facilities that have placed Jordan at the forefront of the region's countries in terms of tourism."
Annab went on to say: "Jordan was at the forefront of countries recovering from the Corona crisis, and exceeded the global measurement year 2019 by 18.5 percent in the number of visitors and 27.9 percent in tourism income in 2023."
She continued, "Jordan, the 'Kingdom of Time', has witnessed civilizations spanning 14,000 years, where the first loaf of bread was discovered, and the statues of Ain Ghazal nine thousand years ago, passing through the Ammonites, Edomites, Greeks, Nabataeans, Romans, Byzantines, and the civilization of the Islamic state until the present day."
According to Annab, there are 100,000 archeological sites in Jordan, 16,000 of which are listed on the national register, and 7 sites including Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In addition to its reputation for security, safety, and the great hospitality Jordan and its people enjoy, Jordan is one of the most popular travel destinations in the area, if not the entire globe, because it has five locations approved by the Vatican for Christian pilgrimage.
She added that "strengthening this sector is not just an investment in the economy, but also an investment in the future." She emphasized that Jordan is a popular destination for adventure, medical, and cultural tourism in addition to historical and cultural tourism due to its vast diversity. In addition to medical tourism, particularly around the Dead Sea, which is the world's largest natural site for medical and health tourism, beach and diving tourism in Aqaba, and 850 local tourism experiences across the Kingdom, the Jordan Trail is ranked among the top 10 destinations for adventure tourism by the National Geographic World Ranking.
According to the statement, "The ministry has opened new tourism markets, with countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and India, reflecting its efforts to attract tourists from new markets and promote sustainable tourism."
The Ministry continues to meet with the relevant authorities to ensure the submission of a comprehensive file in compliance with international standards, in line with the royal directives and building on the work done by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority to include the Aqaba Marine Reserve file on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
She clarified that the tourism industry is one of the most significant drivers of Jordan's national economy, with tourism-related income accounting for 14.6% of GDP in 2023 the highest level in the previous 24 years.
She said that the industry has seen significant infrastructural investments, therefore more work is needed to support it and make it more appealing to investors worldwide.

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