Tourism minister, EBRD top executive discuss project to improve tourism situation

AMMAN — Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Majd Shweikeh on Sunday met with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) regional director of the Eastern and Mediterranean region Heike Harmgart over prospects of cooperation to develop the Kingdom’s tourism sector.

Discussions centred on the role of the Tourism and Hospitality Sectoral Skills Council and a proposal to upgrade two sites in Madaba and Petra through improving the skills of workers in the tourism field.

Shweikeh said that the tourism sector can overcome the problem of unemployment if it was able to effectively address the present challenges, including the ones related to skills.

She also underlined a plan to render tourism facilities accessible to people with disabilities.

The top official also expressed the ministry’s intention to focus on attracting investments in this sector, shedding light on the opportunities in medical tourism in Ajloun, 70km northwest of Amman, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Jordan became an EBRD shareholder in 2012 and the bank has contributed more than 1.3 billion euros to 43 projects to date, in addition to $120 million in trade facilitation lines to local banks.

The EBRD has already invested in the field of renewable energy and major projects in the tourism sector including the Abdali shopping mall and entertainment centre in Amman and Aqaba’s Ayla Village among others under examination.