His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday underlined the importance of cooperation by all concerned authorities to support the tourism sector so it reflects positively on the country's revenues.
During a meeting with several tourism entities, the King called for facilitating travel and customs procedures at airports and border crossings.
He also called for treating visitors in a manner that reflects Jordanian values and hospitality, noting that it was important at the same time to strike a balance so as to provide security and safety for citizens and the country's guests.
King Abdullah called for the formation of a committee comprising all entities concerned with tourism to be tasked with formulating plans to promote the country's tourist attractions.
During the meeting, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Munir Nassar reviewed projects seeking to market the country as a tourist destination.
During the first six months of this year, JD762,000 were allocated to promote the country in the Arab Gulf states, while JD112,000 were spent on educational tourism and JD244,000 on promotional ads in the daily newspapers.
Nassar said Jordan seeks to promote its tourist sites in countries like China, India and South Korea.
In an interview with Jordan Television, the minister said King Abdullah issued directives for the implementation of several programmes to attract large number of tourists this season.
Nassar said the Jordan Tourism Board is currently conducting a promotional campaign in the Gulf countries, with its representatives visiting travel agencies to distribute “Jordan Beautiful Summer” brochures.
The number of tourist arrivals this year is expected to reach 6.4 million compared to 5.8 million last year, while revenues from the tourism sector are also expected to rise.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ziad Fariz, Minister of Transport Saud Nseirat, Public Security Department Director Lt. General Mohammad Aitan, Customs Department Director General Alaa Batayneh and Amman Mayor Omar Maani also attended the meeting, presenting their views on ways to promote the tourism sector.
The Jordan Times