The government says that it
seeks to kill two birds with its decision to allow only those who have been
vaccinated into the Golden Triangle: Aqaba, Petra, and Wadi Rum. The first is
encouraging people to register to take the vaccine and the other to promote
internal tourism.
اضافة اعلان
There is no harm in
acknowledging that Jordanians are feeling bored because of the complete and
partial lockdowns, imposed under the pretext of fighting the spread of the
virus. People badly need any solution that frees them from their big prison,
and all want a safe summer. Nevertheless, we cannot deny that the tourism
sector has been suffering since the outbreak of the pandemic and numerous
establishments have gone out of business due to the dwindling internal tourism
and complete absence on inbound tourism. Now, does the government plan achieve
any of the said goals?
To start with, it is
apparent that the government has overlooked a crucial aspect of the issue,
namely, that Jordan has lost its competitive edge in tourism, whether internal
or inbound. Touristic establishments, such as hotels and spas, are no more
competitive due to the unreasonable prices of their services, when compared to
similar facilities in the neighborhood, such as Sharm El-Sheikh and Istanbul,
where the difference in the accommodation and services is stunning. We can
spend there way less than what we have to pay in the south of Jordan. So how
will the government handle this dilemma? Does it have a clear plan to solve it?
Another side of this
difficult problem is the touristic sites’ lack of the minimum requirements of
infrastructure, and if they were in place, they would be old and worn out,
discouraging Jordanians from using facilities. Regarding incoming tourism, does
the government have programs that are attractive enough to lure Arab and
foreign visitors? Has Jordan been marketed abroad properly, as other
governments marketed their respective countries? We need a clear answer,
bearing in mind that other countries started their marketing drives very early.
I am aware that the
government would set the vaccine as a requirement to receive services, in a bid
to encourage people to take the shots, and thus ease the health and economic
hardships we are undergoing. But the government has to realize that achieving these
goals requires thorough examination of the issue and that spontaneous,
haphazard action will not save us from this crisis that has had a negative
impact on every aspect of life.
Without serious and genuine
studies, we won’t be able to achieve our goal of a safe summer and vibrant
tourism in a way that would mitigate the suffering of individuals and sectors.
Perceiving reality as it is in a no-brainer. We are here trying to remind the
government of the situation and encouraging it to work out prompt solutions,
especially since summer is approaching. The vaccination rule regarding the Golden Triangle is an additional
obstacle before local tourism, and a new complication that would delay its
revival. In fact, it might drive people to seek destinations in neighboring
countries, where services are competitive and there are no Covid-related
complications.
For Jordanians, staying at
Dead Sea or Aqaba hotels is not an option, because their internal pools are
closed, and they prefer to stay at home instead of spending too much money on
an incomplete tour, which unworthy of the money paid for it. This is what will
happen if we do not address the loopholes in the plan to encourage internal
tourism in the upcoming summer. Shall we learn this lesson before national tourism
receives another blow?
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