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Increasing momentum to attract visitors

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DESPITE a decline in visitor figures, The Jordan Tourism Board has had a positive year in 2013 and continues to engage in aggressive marketing campaigns to attract tourists back to the historically-rich destination.

The board observed a decline of 6.5 per cent in overnight visitors from January to September, 2013, as compared to the same time last year, and a three per cent decline in the Asian market. In terms of the number of visitors, Jordan attracted 4,136,000 tourists from January to September as compared to 4,900,000 during the same period last year.

In terms of tourism receipts, there was an increase of three per cent, accounting to around JD 2.5 billion ($ 3.2 billion) in the first nine months of 2013.

Dr Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, managing director, The Jordan Tourism Board, says: “We have succeeded to target well-heeled tourists.

The board launched the Food Tourism promotions at the World Travel Market in Londong in November with the support of actress, TV personality and Celebrity Masterchef winner Nadia Sawalha to showcase the country’s diverse culinary scene.

The show also marked the official launch of the tourism board’s new culinary website which comes as part of the 2014 destination focus on gastronomy, highlighting the culinary experiences Jordan has to offer beyond the iconic landscapes of Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea.

Dr Arabiyat also explains that 2014 will be a digital year for visitjordan, focusing on social media platforms and attracting new visitors on mobile sites and applications.

Since the past three years, the board has been engaging in social media activities to promote the destination. Dr Arabiyat says: “We are done with creating awareness and are now evaluating on how to make people who respond to these activities to actual visitors to Jordan.”

Other marketing plans for 2014 include Eco/Adventure Tourism, Religious Tourism and Mice.

Also in focus this year will be the Asian markets, specifically China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. “We are in negotiations with airlines by providing incentives to come to Jordan,” adds Dr Arabiyat. The board believes that better connectivity will attract better number of tourists to Jordan. It will also continue its marketing drives in Australia, Brazil and India, where it has offices.

Dr Arabiyat says that Jordan’s hotel inventory will be increased. Currently, the county has 24,000 rooms. This figure is expected to grow by 6,000 by 2015 due to a string of investments in the pipeline.

Rotana will add two new properties in Amman this year including Boulevard Rotana Arjaan and Amman Rotana. Due to open in early 2014, the Hilton Dead Sea Resort and Spa is a five-star luxury hotel destination adjacent to the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, a state-of-the-art meetings facility which Hilton will soon start operating.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will welcome a new hotel to its growing portfolio in the Middle East with Fairmont Amman, expected to open in 2015. Starwood Hotels announces St Regis Amman & The Residences at The St Regis will open in early 2015 and The Westin Saraya Aqaba by Westin Hotels and Resorts is set to open in April 2016.

After nearly three decades of planning and years of work, the $25 million, 10,000 sq m Jordan Museum is now open while the Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan is expected to open later this year. Ground breaking has begun for the new $1.5 billion entertainment complex, Red Sea Astrarium, which will feature four hotels and Star Trek-themed attractions.

As well as these developments, Jordan is also excited about its Marsa Zayed Project, the biggest real estate and tourism project to take place in the history of the kingdom, and the $1 billion Ayla Oasis Project in Aqaba which will feature a variety of high-end hotels, residential communities and an 18-hole golf course as well as a town centre with a marina, retail units, cafes, entertainment and recreational facilities, built around a man-made lagoon.

By Shilpa Chandran

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