Jordan Conference: Day One Remarks

Event: Seizing Tourism Market Opportunities in Times of Rapid Change
Venue: King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center (Dead Sea, Jordan)

Opening Ceremony:

Event: Seizing Tourism Market Opportunities in Times of Rapid Change
Venue: King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center (Dead Sea, Jordan)

Opening Ceremony:

Nayez H. Al Fayez (tourism minister, Jordan): Jordanians are proud people, and for good reason. We have some of the most magnificent natural attractions. We are open and ready for business.

David Scowsill (president, WTTC): Far too important of an industry not to speak with one voice.

Taleb Rifai (secretary-general, UNWTO): The future of Jordan is in tourism. There are two main challenge in tourism– the economic and environmental. The “center of gravity” –moving towards the East (China and India) and South (Brazil). Tourism has been so much of a resilient industry. The nature of our industry is it is very sensitive, but it is absolutely resilient.

Session One: What is happening in the global economy?

Moderator: Nima Abu-Wardeh

Neil Gibson (director of regional services at Oxford Economics): There are still significant debt being sorted out. We are hanging on a global recovery.

Marcio Favilla L. de Paula (UNWTO executive director of competitiveness, external relations and partnerships): More travelers from emerging economies will travel more.

Michael Frenzel (chief executive at TUI AG): I am paying close attention to paradigm shifts.

Mark Tanzer (ABTA chief executive): There are changes in how holiday makers want their tours organized.

Session Three: How can growth expectations of the Aviation sector continue to a more competitive and sustainable travel and tourism industry?
Moderator: Vijay Poonoosamy: Aviation and tourism depend on each other.

Sertac Haybat (general manager of PEGASUS): I don’t understand why the government are involved in the ownership of the airlines. The airline is promoting the destination.” Governments should let airlines fly as they like.

Kjeld Binger (chief executive officer of Air International Group): Building partnerships is important.

Chris Lyle (UNWTO representative to ICAO): Return of investment, security and facilitation, taxes and cash-cow issue; and infrastructure and environment. It is important that we have a single voice. We all need to think in larger box and integrate it.

Anwar Atalla (marketing director of Royal Jordanian: Because of our location and the price of fuel have affected us. Taxes also have become part of the challenges. Cutting down on our carbon emission and cutting down our carbon footprint.

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Nell Alcantara

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