JTB managing director among Power 30 Influential Leaders in Middle East and Tourism Industry in 2023

AMMAN —Abdelrazzaq Arabiyat, the Managing Director of Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), has been selected by the Arabian Travel Market 2023 (ATM), currently held in Dubai, as one of the Power 30 Influential Leaders in the Middle East and Tourism Industry in 2023. 

This recognition places Arabiyat among the most prominent leaders in the region, alongside Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, and a number of heads of tourism boards and airline company managers in the Middle East region, according to a statement from the ATM.

As the Managing Director of JTB, Arabiyat has played a pivotal role in positioning Jordan as a premier tourism destination in the Middle East. “Thanks to his dedication and relentless efforts, Jordan has seen remarkable growth in visitor arrivals, with record-breaking numbers of tourists visiting the Kingdom in recent years. His commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism has also been instrumental in establishing Jordan as a leading destination in this area,” the statement said.

Arabiyat's achievements in the Jordan tourism industry include the launch of several highly successful campaigns, which have helped to showcase the country's unique cultural and natural attractions to the world. He has also established partnerships with leading travel and tourism companies, such as Ryanair, Airbnb and TripAdvisor, to promote Jordan as a safe and authentic travel destination. Additionally, he has successfully organised major international events in Jordan.

Among the key campaigns spearheaded by Arabiyat are Major Eastern Europe Outdoor Marketing Campaign in more than eight countries, Ramadan "Al Moazeb" campaign targeting the Gulf region, through advertising on MBC and a social media campaign that attracted tens of millions of views, and the World Cup Qatar 2022 Outdoor Marketing Campaign.

As a result, more than 1.4 million tourists visited Jordan in the first quarter of this year, the highest figure recorded in the history of the Kingdom. Based on this number and estimates, Jordan could be on its way to the highest tourism numbers in its history, exceeding the expectations included in the National Tourism Strategy 2021-2025. The achievement also surpassed the figures of 2019, the pre-pandemic year dubbed as the "golden year", when 5.3 million tourists lived the Jordanian experience.

Last year saw a 110 per cent increase in tourism revenues, compared to 2021, recording $5.8 billion and indicating a recovery from the pandemic's repercussions.