Tourism Ministry Celebrates His Majesty's 64th Birthday

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Sunday celebrated His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein’s 64th birthday at the Jordan Museum, in the presence of the Chairman of the Parliamentary Tourism and Antiquities Committee, MP Salem Al-Omari; Senator Sanad Al-Naimat; Senator Fawaz Hamdallah; heads of tourism associations; and staff from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Department of Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board, and the Jordan Museum.

Participants at the event outlined the most prominent achievements realized in the tourism sector since His Majesty ascended the Throne.

On this occasion, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Emad Hijazeen, affirmed that since assuming his constitutional powers, His Majesty the King has accorded special attention to the tourism sector, stemming from his belief in its vital role in supporting the national economy, creating employment opportunities, and achieving sustainable local development.

He noted that Royal directives have provided a clear roadmap for successive governments to develop the tourism offering and enhance the sector’s regional and global competitiveness, within a vision centered on investing in people and places, safeguarding national heritage, and developing tourism infrastructure and services.

He added that the King’s interest in tourism arises from its economic importance and its direct impact on efforts to reduce unemployment and raise social welfare levels, explaining that the Royal directives have focused on providing the necessary support and facilitation to advance the sector and make it an attractive and advanced industry that reflects Jordan’s rich historical, environmental, and cultural assets.

In this context, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities aligned its plans and programs with the Economic Modernization Vision, designating tourism as a priority sector under the “Jordan: A Global Destination” pillar, with targets to create 99,000 jobs, stimulate investment, and increase tourism income.

The tourism sector recorded notable performance in 2025, with tourism income contributing approximately 13.2 percent of GDP.

The number of international visitors reached around 7 million, exceeding the target by 6.7 percent, while tourism revenues amounted to approximately JOD5.5 billion, surpassing the target by 0.6 percent.

The sector also made progress in women’s empowerment, with the number of female workers reaching 8,551. The number of tourism establishments rose to 3,834, and hotel rooms increased to nearly 38,000, particularly in Aqaba, Petra, and Wadi Rum, reflecting growth in tourism infrastructure.

Within the framework of strategic planning, the Ministry prepared a draft national sectoral strategy for 2026–2029 in partnership with relevant stakeholders, resulting in the identification of 31 strategic projects, alongside the updating of the sectoral strategic plan.

In terms of global recognition, several Jordanian sites have been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, including As-Salt, Al-Maghtas (the Baptism Site), Wadi Rum, and Umm ar-Rasas.

In addition, archaeological and natural sites were included on the Tentative List, including Jerash, Umm Qais, Qasr Al-Qastal, Al-Shobak, Tabaqat Fahl (Pella), Dana, Azraq, Mujib, Umm Al-Jimal, the Jordanian Harrah, and the Aqaba Marine Reserve.

Jordan also registered five elements on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, including Mansaf, Al-Samer, and Bedouin heritage in Petra and Wadi Rum, in addition to joint files such as the date palm and Arabic calligraphy.

Several Jordanian tourist sites have received international recognition: Petra is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; Al-Maghtas has been designated a global Christian pilgrimage site; and the Vatican approved five Christian pilgrimage sites in Jordan. Umm Qais, Al-Sila’ Village, and North Azraq were selected among the world’s Best Tourism Villages.

Jordan has also been declared a regional destination for medical tourism; Madaba was named the Arab Tourism Capital and Irbid the Arab Culture Capital, while Jordan won the presidency of the Middle East Regional Commission of the World Tourism Organization.

As part of digital transformation efforts, the Ministry continued automating its services, developing its technical infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity, and connecting directorates to the government network, in addition to developing national digital systems and launching digital platforms, most notably “Urdunna Jannah”.

Tourism product development also advanced through the establishment and upgrading of 11 visitor centers, the creation of the Discovery and Challenge Center in Al-Shobak, the rehabilitation of sites to be accessible for persons with disabilities, the expansion of the “Urdunna Jannah” program, and the development of adventure tourism trails linked to the Jordan Trail, 80 percent of which has been waymarked.

This has been coupled with training and employment programs to train members of local communities, tourism sector workers, and tourism service providers.

On the legislative front, the Ministry continued implementing the legislative reform project by updating laws governing the tourism sector, issuing modern bylaws and instructions, and establishing the Tourism Sector Development and Advancement Fund, thereby strengthening governance, stimulating investment, and improving the quality of tourism services.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, attendees participated in creating a mosaic artwork bearing the image of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, expressing sentiments of loyalty and belonging, and embodying pride in the Hashemite leadership.