Boycott campaigns disrupt over 12,000 Jordanian businesses

AMMAN — Boycott campaigns over the Gaza war have had severe repercussions on the local tourism industry, leaving over 12,000 Jordanians impacted by consumers’ refraining from purchasing goods from specific western companies, according to Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Makram Al Qaisi.

In a recent press conference held as part of the Government Communication Forum, Qaisi said that the boycott campaigns have “yielded a reverse effect, impacting not only the boycotted companies, but also stakeholders and supply chain actors collaborating with these companies in Jordan”.

Many believe that well-known companies facing boycotts hold a pro-Israel stance and exhibit bias in the Gaza war. Nevertheless, boycotted companies have explicitly refuted any such accusations, asserting their neutrality.

Highlighting the state of the local tourism industry, Michael Nazzal, chairman of the Jordan Hotel Association, told The Jordan Times on Saturday that supply chains, including bakeries, meat and vegetable suppliers, have experienced the repercussions of widespread consumer boycotts. 

“The impact has been felt directly and indirectly, affecting numerous employees and entities,” he said.

Nazzal emphasised that companies currently subject to boycotts must consider the long-term implications of the ongoing events, indicating that this could involve implementing specific changes or negotiating agreements with franchises to rebrand their outlets under new entities. 

Speaking with The Jordan Times, Beesan W., who is employed at a food chain company, said that “I am still employed but we are constantly given unpaid leaves… the company is for sure going through financial difficulties during this time”. She added that some employees in other boycotted food chains were unlawfully terminated, expecting weaker sales caused primarily by wider boycott campaigns.