Jordan's tourist attractions to be showcased at ITB Berlin

A high-level delegation of tourism industry leaders will initiate an intense promotional drive of the country's tourism facets and its potential as a travel destination at an exhibition in Germany on Wednesday.

The four-day ITB Berlin is considered one of the world's foremost trade shows for the travel industry.

Some 10,923 companies and service providers, including representatives of global hotel chains, airlines and tour operators will be taking part in the event.

Jordan will use this platform to enhance marketing and promotions of the country and explore new channels of cooperation with new tourism markets, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Osama Dabbas said on Monday.

"The Kingdom frequently attends such large exhibitions to further expose the country's unique tourist attractions and enhance its potential as a tourist destination," Dabbas said on Monday.

"Our attendance at the ITB will help... by attracting larger numbers of visitors to the country to contribute to the growth of this industry," he added.

Dabbas said the Jordanian delegation, headed by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), will include representatives from the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Royal Jordanian, hotels and tour and travel agencies.

This year's delegation will include representatives from hotels at the Dead Sea, who will highlight the area as an attractive destination for spa and well-being vacations.

A comprehensive programme and supporting events representing the broad product spectrum of the tourist industry are being lined up at the event, which is expected to draw 80,000 visitors.

Participants can use the event to expand their knowledge of the latest the industry has to offer, new ideas, global approaches and targeted marketing as well as identify new strategies for constantly changing consumer demand.

The European market continues to be one of the most significant for the Kingdom, attracting thousands of visitors each year. They often constitute the largest segment of arrivals to the country, following tourists from the Gulf, and have continued to rise steadily each year.

Their numbers rose 8.4 per cent in 2006 to 424,584 visitors from 391,847 in 2005.

This positive trend continued in the first month of this year, which saw 60,000 visitors -- 42.5 per cent higher than in January 2005.

Dabbas said that Jordan will also be targeting German tourists, who are one of the largest outbound travel groups in Europe.

Figures show that a total of 60 million German tourists travel abroad annually. The number of German visiting the Kingdom rose by nearly 44 per cent last year to 30,456 tourists, compared to 21,179 in 2005.

Dabbas said the delegation will be working together and with other industry representatives to boost overall arrivals to the country.

As part of its promotion the German market, the JTB has prepared a website and a series of brochures in the German language.

The JTB's branch in Germany will also be carrying out activities during the event, such as a workshop for travel agents and tour operators and a joint reception for trade and media representatives.

JTB Germany will also be hosting a one-week VIP press trip to experience "Jordan in Spring" later this month for representatives from national and regional newspapers, a women's magazine, and a lifestyle publication.