Encouraging domestic tourism

Aqaba and Dead Sea hotels report solid bookings for the Eid Al Fitr. This is good news because it means that more Jordanians are now giving priority to domestic tourism rather than flying to other destinations in the region to spend their holidays. 

This is all the more significant, since most people want to enjoy the break even though they cannot completely forget or be impervious to the sufferings of fellow Arabs, especially in Gaza, Syria, Iraq and other parts of the region. 

Aqaba beaches match those of other seaside resorts in the Middle East and beyond; besides, spending the vacation in the port city is much more cost-effective. 

In addition, this inward-looking tourism is also a blessing for the economy since millions of dinars will be spent in the country rather than abroad. 

This prudent choice appears to be taking place without any concerted campaign to promote domestic tourism. 

It happens also that this year’s Eid holiday is long — almost a week — which means the hospitality sector will earn more revenues. When local hotels do well, the national economy stands to benefit as well in more than one way. 

Too bad there were no concerted efforts to encourage more Jordanians to spend the Eid holiday in the Kingdom instead of flying off to foreign countries. According to outbound tour operators, the majority of bookings are for seaside destinations in Turkey, followed by Sharm El Sheikh, which have affordable package tours.

This means that thousands of vacationing Jordanians will be spending their money abroad.  

There is a lesson or two to be learned from people’s choice of holiday destinations this Eid and perhaps the tourism authorities will henceforth make more effective plans to attract the majority of Jordanian holidaymakers to the beaches of Aqaba and the Dead Sea, provided hotel rooms can be increased to accommodate them.