Israel-Hamas conflict notwithstanding, Jordan is safe to travel, insists its tourism minister

Jordan's tourism sector is facing the brunt of the West’s perception of the Middle East being one unit, according to the country's Tourism and Antiquities Minister Makram Mustafa A Queisi, who stressed that his “strong and resilient” country is safe to visit notwithstanding the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The number of tourists to the country has been steadily declining since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel last year and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza. The sector contributes 14.6 per cent to Jordan's gross domestic product (GDP) by generating USD 7.3 billion and employs 55,000 people directly,

The dip in the number of tourists is what Queisi hopes to address.

"Jordan has always been strong and resilient... It is the problem of perception in the West, especially in Europe and the US ― maybe Canada and Australia as well. They look at the Middle East as one unit,” Queisi said.

“If a bullet is fired in the southern part of the Middle East, the eastern part, the western part and the northern part are affected… and this is a problem in the region," added the minister who is in New Delhi for the ongoing World Heritage Committee meeting.

To explain his point further, he cited the example of the ongoing war in Ukraine. But it has not impacted Ukraine’s neighbors, including Romania, Latavia, Estonia and Lithuania, unlike what is happening with countries in the Middle East, he said.

"It all depends on perception. A war in Ukraine has been going on for the past three or more years but neighboring countries are not affected. For instance, Hungary, a border country to Ukraine, was not affected,” the 54-year-old said.

Describing Jordan as an “open museum” filled with rich historical sites, including the ancient city of Petra and the mosaic adorned churches in Madaba, he said he invites all Indians to explore his country.

Jordan's desert Wadi Rum, favorite among many Hollywood makers, has been the backdrop for several blockbusters including The Martian and Red Planet.

Queisi, who visited Agra earlier this week, said he hopes to strengthen collaboration between India and Jordan in the area of “film tourism”.

Several Indian films, including Krrish 3, Vishwaroopam, Aaru, Mission Istanbul and Prithvi, have been shot in the diverse landscapes of Jordan. Bollywood's recent Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff starrer Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was also shot in the kingdom.

“We started this through our collaboration with the Royal Film Commission because we think that this is a very promising industry that we are trying to pursue and we'll do whatever it takes to entice them for more film shoots in Jordan," he said.

The minister stressed on the need to improve connectivity between the two countries by operating direct flights between New Delhi and Jordan's capital Amman. He said he raised the point with his Indian counterpart Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Queisi said he underscored how India, given its size and population, is an important and promising market for Jordan.

In his view, India and Jordan are very similar to each other, both ancient civilizations, both with rich histories.

"In terms of the number of tourists from India, 2019 was a very good year. 2023 was okay. Today, because of the crisis that is happening in the region, maybe the numbers are declining. But there is another aspect which is connectivity and that's why I am here.

"We'll propose incentive schemes for the Indian airlines or the Royal Jordanian airlines and encourage the resumption of direct flights between Amman and New Delhi, and maybe other cities from India," he added.

In 2023, 70,000 Indians visited Jordan.

During his India visit, his first to the country, he will also see the formal inclusion of Jordan's ancient rural settlement Umm Al-Jimāl in the UNESCO's World Heritage Site list.

This will be the seventh such addition from Jordan in the coveted list after Al-Maghtas (the baptismal site of Jesus Christ), Petra (famous archaeological site), Quseir Amra (desert castle), Umm ar-Rasas (ancient city famous for stunning mosaic floors), Wadi Rum (ancient desert, also known as the 'Valley of the Moon') and As-Salt (ancient trading city).

(PTI)