(MENAFN- Jordan Times) Tourism industry leaders and journalists representing 27 countries from across the world are scheduled to meet at the Dead Sea next month to discuss current challenges facing the sector.
The "Seizing Tourism Market Opportunities in Times of Rapid Challenges" conference will tackle the challenges facing tourism in view of the current economic and social changes and key market trends, Minister of Tourism Nayef Al Fayez said on Monday.
He added that participants in the two-day conference will discuss solutions for these challenges.
"We want to hear from international experts in the field about the best practices to overcome obstacles for a better future for tourism in the Kingdom," Fayez told reporters at a press conference to announce preparations for the international conference.
Fayez noted that although 2011 was not a good year for the sector in Jordan, "tourism is thriving this year, and the number of tourists is expected to rise", adding that 214,000 tourists from the Gulf states visited Jordan in the first four months of 2012.
According to Central Bank of Jordan figures, 1,425,918 tourists visited the Kingdom in the January-March period, a 9.1 per cent drop compared to the same period of 2011, when the figure stood at 1,568,994.
However, revenues generated in the first quarter went up by 3.9 per cent, from JD508 million last year to JD528 million this year.
Meanwhile, Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) Director General Abdul Razzaq Arabiat noted that potential new markets and tourists trends within the current international economic constraints will also be on the agenda of the June 5-6 conference.
Other issues that will be tackled include global changes and future scenarios, new consumers, foreign direct investment and competitive destinations.
In addition, tours will be organised for journalists and bloggers invited to the event so they can experience tourism in the Kingdom, he said at the press conference yesterday.
Jointly organised by the JTB, the tourism ministry and the UN World Tourism Organisation, the conference coincides with celebrations marking 200 years since the rediscovery of Petra.
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