2024 ITB BERLIN NEWS - DAY 2 Edition

I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
I
“We take pride in offering visitors the chance to
engage deeply with our local communities”
Makram Al-Queisi, Jordan's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, spoke to
ITB Berlin News about what makes Jordan tourism different from other
destinations
Makram Al-Queisi outlined Jordan's efforts to become
a year-round destination and to encourage travellers
to interact with local communities for authentic
experiences.
How does it feel to be back at ITB
Berlin this year? Why is this such
an important event for Jordan ?
We view ITB Berlin as one of the
most important international travel
trade shows in the world and a
must-attend event. ITB Berlin serves
as a perfect platform for us and the
global travel tourism industry to
convene, showcase our products
and services, establish business
contracts and new partnerships
and discuss developments and
trends within the sector.
Jordan is a tourism pillar in the travel
industry. We can proudly say that we
have achieved a new anchor year in
2023, in both the number of tourists
and revenue generated. According
to UN Tourism, we became the
ninth fastest country in the world for
the recovery of tourist numbers.
What is your strategy towards the
European market?
First, we are participating in trade
fairs in Europe to enhance visibility
and create brand awareness. We
are also currently focusing on
B2B business, complemented by
travel and trade training courses
and informational trips for the
media. Attending ITB Berlin 2024 is
critical for ensuring Jordan remains
highly visible and a top choice for
consumers.
We have 100,000 archaeological
sites mapped in Jordan, out of
which 15,000 belong to our national
registry. This turns Jordan into
an open museum, shaping its
uniqueness. There is only one site
acknowledged by the Vatican to
be the authentic site where Jesus
Christ was baptised, and this is in
Jordan. There is also only one Petra,
the magical seventh wonder of the
world; there is only one Dead Sea, a
natural spa with 6-8% more oxygen
than anywhere else in the world and
waters 10 times more saline than
the ocean.
Jordan's Mansaf dish and
traditional dance, As-Samer, have
been recognised by UNESCO
Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Why is it important for Jordan to
promote them?
We take pride in offering visitors the
chance to engage deeply with our
local communities and traditions.
Parts of cultural heritage such as
Mansaf and As-Samer provide a
window into our rich traditions. As
such, Mansaf is not only a dish, it
is a celebration of generosity, of
cultural heritage, or national unity.
Engaging visitors' senses and
emotions are reflected in our brand
"Kingdom of Time," a place where
the past and the present converge.
The warmth, hospitality, and
welcoming nature of the Jordanian
people are key elements to Jordan's
uniqueness.
Jordan has a dedicated adventure
tourism booth at ITB Berlin this
year. Why is it important for Jordan
to prioritise this sector?
Although cultural tourism is
considered our bread and butter
with regard to the number of
tourists who visit the Kingdom
each year, we have diversified
our tourism offering over the past
seven years. The new trend is that
people are seeking to maximise the
number of experiences they engage
in when visiting a destination.
We consequently target specific
niche products, such as adventure
tourism, medical/wellness tourism,
MICE tourism, faith tourism and
educational tourism. We believe that
Jordan has a wealth of experiences
in adventure tourism - from hiking
to more hardcore activities such as
climbing. Our dedicated booth for
adventure tourism at ITB is perfect
for professionals to interact with
local adventure tourism providers.
How is Jordan working to
encourage year-round tourism?
Few people actually realise this,
but Jordan is really a classic yearround
destination. In February, you
can already swim in the Red Sea
in Aqaba, in midsummer the north
of the country has a Mediterranean
climate and you can also enjoy
wellness at the Dead Sea all year
round. Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs) in
Jordan have significantly bolstered
the country's image as an attractive
year-round travel destination.
How is Jordan including local
communities in its overall tourism
strategy?
Engaging local communities and
enhancing local experiences are
pivotal to our strategy, sitting at
the heart of our marketing efforts
and ongoing development plans for
2024. We are currently assessing
the potential of over 850 local
community experiences, aiming to
integrate them into existing tourism
itineraries
AQABA SELECTED
AS A GLOBAL
TOP SIX GREEN
DESTINATION
Aqaba, Jordan's only coastal city, is
in competition with global tourism
destinations for the top sustainability
standards according to the Green
Destinations Organization. Jordan’s
Red Sea destination was selected
as one of the Top 100 global green
destinations by applying 15 criteria of
the sustainable destination standard. It
then submitted a good practice success
story about the Aqaba Bird Observatory
in cooperation with the Royal Society
for the Conservation of Nature. The
initiative showcases an environmentrelated
tourism product offering a rich
biodiversity while implementing the
reuse of water, in a country that is facing
scarce water resources.
This good practice story qualified
Aqaba to be selected amongst the
top six global tourist destinations that
meet sustainable tourism standards in
the Environment and Climate category.
Today, an international jury at ITB
Berlin composed of sustainable tourism
experts is due to select and reveal the
final three award winners.
At the same time, there is a vote to
win the People’s Choice Award as the
public’s best and favorite success story.
Jordan hopes that the Aqaba Bird
Observatory was able to attract many
votes from a broad audience
GREEN
DESTINATIONS TOP
100 STORY AWARDS
Wednesday
6 March
from 6:00 p.m.
Hall 7.1
Blue Stage
ITB BERLIN NEWS • WEDNESDAY 6 TH MARCH 2024 19