Tourism key ‘ingredient’ for economic development, says Indian ambassador

AMMAN — The Indian embassy in Amman, together with the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA), on Tuesday held an event to showcase and promote tourism to various destinations in India.

Indian Ambassador to Jordan Anwar Haleem said: “Tourism is an extremely important ingredient for the economic development and growth of any nation.”

The ambassador also commended Jordanian-Indian relations, and referred to the importance of expanding possibilities for closer cooperation and tourism exchange between the two countries, highlighting the role of tourism in contributing to the overall economy of both countries.

Haleem stated that India offers geographical diversity, world heritage sites and niche tourism products like cruises, adventure tourism, medical tourism, yoga tourism, wild-life and luxury tourism. 

He added that there is a growing interest in India's rich cultural heritage and natural beauty among foreign tourists. India’s earnings from tourism account for 5.8 per cent of the GDP and the goal is to raise it to 7.5 per cent of the GDP by 2030, according to an Indian embassy statement. 

As per World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021, India is currently ranked 54th in the world but tops the ranking within South Asia. Also, National Geographic Channel has listed Kerala backwaters among “the 50 destinations of a life time”, the statement said.   

Additionally, the ambassador, sharing a number of figures and data related to the tourism sector, noted that around 55,000 Indians visited Jordan in 2022. The ambassador also noted the importance of cooperation in medical tourism, particularly as Jordan and India are known for being attractive destinations for medical tourists.

JSTA President Suhail Halaseh called for greater tourism interaction and cooperation between Jordan and India in order to promote sustainable tourism development in both countries.