JTB to support low-cost airlines to boost tourism

AMMAN — The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) are working on the government’s priority programme for 2021-2023 that aims to attract 4.5 million tourists by the end of 2023 through supporting low-cost airlines.

The government’s economic priorities programme for 2021-2023 aims to support economic growth and help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The JTB will continue to support EasyJet and Ryanair, which are currently running flights to the Kingdom,” said JTB Managing Director Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat, as reported by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Arabiyat added that the JTB is negotiating with the low-cost airline Wizz Air to start operations in the Kingdom.

Arabiyat stressed that contracting with low-cost airlines is part of the government’s plan to attract 4.5 million tourists by the beginning of 2023.

JTB Spokesperson Anas Edwan told The Jordan Times on Tuesday that, “Jordan had received tourists arriving through low-cost airlines before the COVID-19 pandemic”.

The JTB is currently working with multiple countries to lift the regular visa restrictions and replacing them with online visas to ease travel restrictions for tourists. This initiative also aims to increase the duration of tourist stays and national income generated by tourism, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times. 

 “The JTB is currently targeting tourists from Europe, the US, Canada and Arab Gulf countries,” the statement added. Arabiyat noted that the JTB will target tourists from China and India next. 

He pointed out that the marketing campaigns will consider the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the targeted countries and in Jordan.

The JTB supports marketing Jordan’s tourist destinations alongside tour agencies. The JTB launches marketing campaigns on various social media platforms and cooperates with international and domestic travel agencies, in order to promote the “Jordanian tourism product”, the statement added.

Arabiyat added that the JTB would also like to attract religious, adventure, medical and wellness tourism to the Kingdom.