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An upswing in tourism arrivals during the first eight months of 2012 clearly demonstrates Jordan’s fast developing travel and tourism industry as, ahead of the 2013 Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), the government pushes forward with its strategic focus on raising the profile of the country’s heritage sites while stimulating investment in the development of a 21st century hospitality product.
With more than 230 one to five-star hotels across the Kingdom, business and leisure tourism is growing after a tough 2011 according to figures released by Jordan’s Central Bank. A 19.2% increase brought tourism revenues to US$2.4 billion during the first eight months of 2012, and August figures were up by an impressive 38.5% on August 2011 performance, with the rise attributed to increasing numbers of tourists from Libya, Iraq, the US and Saudi Arabia.
In the run up to the March 2013 event, Reed Travel Exhibitions, organiser of GIBTM, is taking to the road for a series of brand new GCC and Levant-focused education and networking forums for Meetings, Business Travel and Incentive based companies to gain insight and knowledge in order to enhance their trade show experience.
Entitled ‘GIBTM Talks: Maximising your ROI’, the road show will commence on 14th October in Muscat and run through 18th October, visiting Doha, Manama, Amman and Beirut.
“To support the sector, the government is taking a two-pronged approach to promoting the country by highlighting its numerous heritage sites and attractions as well as working with international hotel groups on expanding the hospitality product to marry old world charm and history with state-of-the-art accommodation and facilities,” said Lois Hall, Exhibition Manager for GIBTM, the leading platform for the incentive, business travel and meetings industry in the Middle East, which takes place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on 25-27 March 2013.
Tourism currently accounts for around 10% of GDP, and transportation infrastructure development is also set to positively impact future revenues with Queen Alia International Airport preparing to launch a new US$750 million terminal capable of handling nine million passengers annually, up from the current 3.5 million. Emirates Airline also recently announced it would be increasing route capacity into Amman to twice daily on the back of the airport recording a 19.11% increase in passenger arrivals in the first eight months of 2012 against 2011 figures.
The GIBTM road show will reach Amman on 17th October 2012, offering added value support to Jordan’s meetings and events sector. The educational and networking forum, which is supported by the Jordan Tourism Board, will be held at the Crowne Plaza Amman, under the theme ‘Maximise Your ROI’.
“Our popular road show events are an invaluable opportunity for existing and potential exhibitors to gain insight and knowledge in order to enhance their GIBTM event experience, as well as pick up some great tips and techniques on using the latest social media tools to maximise business both pre- and post show,” said Hall.
The Dead Sea region is the focal point for tourism investment with several new mixed-use hospitality projects under development including the US$160 million Dead Sea Lagoon and a new Hilton property set to open in time for the World Economic Forum meeting in May 2013, which will be held at the Hilton-managed King Hussein convention centre. In 2013, JW Marriott will debut a new property in Aqaba, and there is also talk of a US$1.5 billion Star Trek themed resort in the area.
“The Dead Sea and Aqaba are the front line for the meetings and events business in the Kingdom, with new properties and conference and meeting facilities augmenting an established line-up of high profile brands including Kempinski, Mövenpick, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn to create a hub that effectively offers a complete turnkey product for meeting planners,” said Hall.
Now in its seventh year, GIBTM attracts in excess of 2,400 industry professionals annually. New for the 2013 edition, and in response to increasing demand for business travel services in the region, GIBTM has launched its first dedicated Business Travel Pavilion. The show also hosts 300 regional and international senior level buyers, through the Hosted Buyer Programme, with a combined budget of over US$827 million, who through 7,600 pre-scheduled appointments over the two and a half-day exhibition, meet with more than 350 exhibitors from 36 different countries.
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