Jordan 'safe for tourism' despite proximity to Israel-Hamas conflict

Speaking during an Institute of Tourism webinar on Tuesday (31 October), former secretary general of the World Tourism Organisation Dr Taleb Rifai, who is Jordanian, said the country was bearing the brunt of the situation because it neighbours Israel and Palestine.

"We’re suffering the consequences of something we have nothing to do with but we’re now effectively paying the price,” said Rifai.

His comments were echoed by Awni Nasser Kawar, chair of the Jordan Inbound Tour Operation Association, who said the effect of the war on Jordan’s tourism sector has been particularly acute due to October being one of the peak months for tourism to the country.

“We were actually reporting 38% growth in our businesses until 7 October,” said Kawar. “What has happened has hit our sector hard again. There’s always a cloud of uncertainty over the Middle East.”

Jordanian senator and hotel and tourism investor Michael Nazzal added that during times of war, travel costs increase significantly, both in terms of airfares and insurance.

"These increased costs may deter budget-conscious travellers and lead to a decrease in arrivals, which in turn can potentially impact the overall profitability of the tourism industry,” Nazzal said.

Other challenges include the wider economic cost of operating tourist services, including maintaining staff and investing in marketing to stay relevant and control messaging.

Nevertheless, the panel insisted Jordan’s tourism industry would bounce back, highlighting the importance of collaborating with its neighbours post-conflict to ensure long-haul travellers, who typically tour several destinations, can continue to take multi-centre trips.

"If we cooperate when the war ends, we’ll have more tourists than if we sold just Jordan,” said Nazzal.