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AMMAN — A personal online initiative to promote Jordan as a "safe and diverse" tourist destination has succeeded in attracting thousands of visitors, according to its creator.
Since it was launched in 2010, the "Welcome to Jordan, from the depths of my heart" Facebook page aimed at highlighting the diversity of destinations in Jordan, said creator Hosni Mayoof.
The "non-commercial" page seeks to clarify misconceptions among Americans and Europeans regarding Jordan's safety, he said, explaining that the political unrest in the region is often thought to be affecting all Middle East countries.
"I have visited many countries, but have not found the diversity of destinations that Jordan offers," the 34-year-old told The Jordan Times on Thursday over the phone, pointing out a lack of "organised, long-term" marketing strategies at the national level.
The page, created with a JD1,000 budget, motivated travel agencies to arrange regular visits to Jordan, bringing in tens of thousands of visitors, according to Mayoof's account.
The page creator said he has employed his past experience in the tourism sector and his passion for photography in taking professional photographs that depict the beauty of several tourist destinations, as well as the daily life activities of Jordanians.
"Westerners often do not have the time to click links to read articles, therefore, the images are key tools to attract their attention," Mayoof said, noting that those who visited Jordan also share their photographs on the page.
Most of the page's some 47,000 followers are mainly from the United States, Sweden, Austria and Hungary, as well as Jordanian expatriates around the world, said Mayoof, who works as a film location manager in Jordan and Hungary.
He cited Jordan's capability to attract more opportunities as a location for international film production, in addition to historical and medical tourism.
"My target is a million followers, and I hope my photos would be distributed as gifts for visitors to Jordan's official booths at international tourism exhibitions."