The Chairman of the Jordan Hotels Association, Engineer Abdul Hakim Mahmoud Al-Hindi, along with the Board members, hosted the Chairman of the Tourism Committee at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Jamal Al-Rifai, and committee members in an official meeting held at the Jordan Hotels Association’s office.

Al-Hindi began the meeting by extending congratulations on the occasion of the New Year, wishing all attendees a year full of success and prosperity. He emphasized the importance of such meetings in strengthening cooperation between various sectors.

In response, Jamal Al-Rifai expressed his gratitude for the warm reception, highlighting the significance of the meeting in addressing issues and challenges facing the tourism sector.

During the meeting, Al-Hindi outlined the significant challenges confronting the tourism sector in the Kingdom, which have been exacerbated over the past 16 months due to ongoing developments in the region and the war on Gaza.

He explained that Jordan’s tourism sector has been more severely affected compared to neighboring countries, pointing to the difficulties faced by workers and investors in this vital industry.

Al-Hindi also noted that the Jordan Hotels Association had prepared  proposals and solutions that was submitted to the relevant authorities. He stressed that these solutions could help alleviate the sector’s struggles and navigate through this challenging period.

For his part, Al-Rifai, speaking on behalf of the Tourism Committee, affirmed the Jordan Chamber of Commerce’s awareness of the magnitude of the challenges faced by the tourism sector. He emphasized the importance of solidarity and collaborative efforts among all stakeholders to develop practical and effective solutions.

He added that the sector is currently experiencing its most challenging phase, necessitating intensified efforts and cooperative work to revive it.

The Chairman of the Jordan Hotel Association also underscored the importance of having a representative from the hotel sector on the Jordan Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors to ensure that the sector’s voice and needs are effectively communicated.

Additionally, Hussain Hilalat, Deputy Chairman of the Association’s Board, paid attention to the noticeable decline in tourist numbers, particularly in Petra, which is witnessing a significant drop in tourism activity.

In conclusion, all attendees stressed the need to strengthen ongoing collaboration between the Association and the Chamber. They agreed on the importance of holding regular meetings to address developments and establish actionable mechanisms that serve the tourism sector, reaffirming their commitment to joint efforts to achieve their shared goals.