Jordan 5th safest Arab country for tourists, 38th worlwide

AMMAN – Jordan ranked as the 38th safest destination for tourists globally in 2017, and the 5th among regional countries, a recent report by the World Economic Forum stated. 

Finland topped the 136 countries listed in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017, followed by the UAE, Iceland, Oman and Hong Kong. 

In the Arab world, the UAE came first, followed by Oman (4th internationally), Qatar (10th), Morocco (20th), Jordan (38th), Kuwait (43rd), Bahrain (47th), Saudi Arabia (61st), Algeria (81st), Tunis (102), Lebanon (125th), Egypt (130th) and Yemen (135).

Commenting on Jordan's ranking, Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani said it showed the "tremendous efforts state institutions are doing and the professionalism of institutions and security agencies".

"This is the result of Jordan's balanced political decisions and statements, as well as the inclusiveness of the decision-making processes and the awareness of Jordanian citizens to support the security institutions and the wellbeing of our country," Momani, who is also the government’s spokesperson, told The Jordan Times on Sunday. 

He also noted that most Jordanians welcome tourists as guests due to their "deep-rooted culture of hospitality".  

The least safe destination in the world was Colombia, followed by war-torn Yemen and El Salvador, according to the report, which ranks each country based on a set of categories ranging from hygiene and information technology to safety and security.  

The report highlighted that the Middle East and North Africa region continues to experience significant instability in geographical and economic terms as spillover effects from the conflicts in Libya, Syria and Yemen and undermining economic conditions spread in the region.

"Instability is also being created by the uncertain future of energy prices after recent falls… with a growing youth population, creating employment opportunities in the private sector is crucial to ensuring a prosperous future," said the report. 

In 2015, Jordan ranked 77th among world countries and 8th in the region in the biannual report.