AMMAN: Delegates at World Travel Market in London on Wednesday heard about the Jordanian tourism industry’s path to recovery following the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourism minister Nayef Fayez said that revenues have been improving since the start of this year, the Jordan News Agency reported.
During a media briefing by the Jordan Tourism Board at the event, the minister said low-cost flights have contributed to the recovery, as budget airlines such as Ryanair, Easy Jet, Wizz Air and Transavia have helped to increase the number of flights to the country.
Fayez also highlighted investment opportunities in the tourism and hotel industries, in particular in southern Jordan.
Abdul Razzaq Arabiyyat, the director-general of the JTB, said: “Our goal is to achieve pre-pandemic visitor numbers.”
He revealed that the number of tourists from the Arabian Gulf who have visited Jordan this year exceeds the figure from 2019. About 4,500 tourists visit the ancient city of Petra each day, he said, and there are 2,518 daily visitors to Jerash Governorate, the highest numbers since the pandemic. Such figures are a positive indicator of recovery, he added.
Arabiyyat also talked about the Jordan Pass, which grants easy entry to more than 40 Jordanian tourist attractions. In addition, he highlighted campaigns by travel businesses Expedia and Skyscanner that are promoting Jordan as a destination for visitors to the region during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off on Nov. 20, along with incentives programs for international trip organizers and charter flight operators.
Minister highlights Jordan’s tourism recovery at World Travel Market London
https://arab.news/zv6db
Minister highlights Jordan’s tourism recovery at World Travel Market London
- Tourism minister Nayef Fayez highlighted about the contribution budget airlines have made by increasing the number of low-cost flights to the country
- About 4,500 tourists visit Petra and 2,518 visit Jerash governorate each day, said Jordan Tourism Board chief, the highest number since the pandemic
US resumes food aid to Somalia
- The United States on Thursday announced the resumption of food distribution in Somalia, weeks after the destruction of a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse at Mogadishu’s port
NAIROBI: The United States on Thursday announced the resumption of food distribution in Somalia, weeks after the destruction of a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse at Mogadishu’s port.
In early January, Washington suspended aid to Somalia over reports of theft and government interference, saying Somali officials had “illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid meant for vulnerable Somalis.”
US officials then warned any future aid would depend on the Somali government taking accountability, a stance Mogadishu countered by saying the warehouse demolition was part of the port’s “expansion and repurposing works.”
On Wednesday, however, the Somali government said “all WFP commodities affected by port expansion have been returned.”
In a statement Somalia said it “takes full responsibility” and has “provided the World Food Program with a larger and more suitable warehouse within the Mogadishu port area.”
The US State Department said in a post on X that: “We will resume WFP food distribution while continuing to review our broader assistance posture in Somalia.”
“The Trump Administration maintains a firm zero tolerance policy for waste, theft, or diversion of US resources,” it said.
US president Donald Trump has slashed aid over the past year globally.
Somalis in the United States have also become a particular target for the administration in recent weeks, targeted in immigration raids.
They have also been accused of large-scale public benefit fraud in Minnesota, which has the largest Somali community in the country with around 80,000 members.
