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The Jordan Tourism Board plans to double the value of the Kingdom's tourism economy in just six years. The JTB, which has recently published its 2004-2010 Jordan National Tourism Strategy , has revealed it aims to increase tourism receipts from the present-day JD570 million ($814 million) to JD1.3 billion ($ 1.85 billion) by 2010.

“Tourism is of vital importance to the national economy of Jordan,” the Strategy acknowledges.“ It is the Kingdom's largest export sector, it is the second largest private sector employer and it is the second highest producer of foreign exchange.

“Tourism contributes more than US $800 million to Jordan's economy and accounts for approximately ten per cent of the country's gross domestic product.”

In addition to doubling tourism earnings by the end of the decade, the Jordan Tourism Board also plans to:

• create more than 50,000 new tourism-related jobs taking the number employed by the industry from 40,791 last year to 91,719 in 2010;
  
• boost the Jordanian government's tax income by more than JD455 ($650) million

To support the Strategy , the Jordanian government will allocate four per cent of the country's annual tourism receipts to international marketing, product development and human resources development. This contribution will more than double the current level of tourism investment.

Jordan's target is the high-yield special interest market, and development initiatives will focus on niche markets such as cultural and religious tourism, eco-tourism, health and wellness, adventure, MICE and the cruise market.

“Jordan is a destination with many iconic tourist attractions, such as Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea,” the Strategy says. Yet despite its advantages and its importance to the economy, Jordan's tourism sector has potential to improve.

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