Tourism Experts Hail EMV Workshops as Catalyst to Boost Sector
Amman, 16 July 2025 (Petra) – Tourism experts have hailed the tourism-focused workshop, part of the second phase of the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV), as a vital platform for exchanging ideas, reviewing achievements, and identifying strengths and challenges in the sector to enhance service quality and infrastructure.
Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), the experts said the workshops held at the Royal Hashemite Court are part of a comprehensive approach to assess progress three years after the Vision’s launch under Royal directives. The goal is to position Jordan as a world-class tourist destination by improving the tourism product, boosting competitiveness, and promoting sustainable development across the Kingdom’s tourism sites.
They stressed that tourism is a cornerstone of the national economy, and revisiting the initiatives and plans during the Vision’s second phase helps align the sector with technological advancements and modern marketing tools, improving Jordan’s competitiveness in global markets and increasing visitor inflows from key source markets.
On its fourth day, the workshop tackled tourism under the "Jordan: A Global Destination" pillar of the Vision, which aims to solidify the country’s standing as a premier tourism and film production destination. It focused on promoting cultural identity and achieving economic growth through sustainable tourism.
Discussions highlighted the sector’s key strengths, such as the diversity of tourism sites from north to south including religious, historical, archaeological, heritage, and natural attractions. Jordan’s favorable year-round climate, authentic hospitality, and appealing visitor experience were also emphasized.
The experts noted Jordan’s strategic geographic position, with short flight times from Europe and the Gulf, and proximity to Asian and African markets. Jordan enjoys a strong reputation in niche tourism and offers unique experiences. It is also an emerging destination for film production and boasts professional tourism associations that support sector development.
The workshop prioritized goals such as establishing Jordan as a distinct global destination, enhancing tourism product competitiveness, upgrading infrastructure at tourist sites, improving transportation services, and cultivating a highly skilled workforce.
Key initiatives discussed included developing and preserving tourism sites and facilities, streamlining travel procedures, launching training and upskilling programs, continuing targeted tourism marketing, expanding global connectivity, strengthening brand identity, and modernizing data systems to support informed decision-making.
Achievements of the first phase were also reviewed, including the adoption of a medical tourism development strategy, pilot implementation of e-ticketing, connectivity with priority source markets, activation of the National Tourism Council, the development of a comprehensive tourism database, approval of a draft regulation for a tourism development fund, and reforms to improve the regulatory and operational environment.
Emad Hijazeen, Director General of the Jordanian Hospitality and Tourism Education Company (JHTEC), told Petra that the workshop’s most notable aspect was the broad participation from across the sector, including new and youth stakeholders who recently entered the tourism field.
He said the outcomes would produce recommendations for the government to help transition away from traditional methods and develop a more adaptive tourism sector capable of meeting future challenges. He noted Jordan’s potential to create unique tourism products in every region.
Hijazeen emphasized the workshop's focus on sectoral growth and job creation, highlighting opportunities to train and employ Jordanians not only within Jordan’s limited domestic market but also across the Gulf, Iraq, and even Europe, where demand for tourism workers is increasing.
Hussein Hilalat, Vice President of the Jordan Hotels Association (JHA), said the workshop aimed to refine the Vision’s tourism initiatives, particularly in site development, investments, and tourism cities, while proposing ideas to ensure sector sustainability moving forward.
Yassar Malhas, Vice President of the Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association, stressed the importance of delivering a clear, accurate message to foreign tourists that Jordan is safe and stable. She noted that a major challenge lies in correcting misconceptions fueled by regional instability that undermine confidence in Jordan as a tourism destination.