With deep historical and cultural roots and a rich range of adventure activities, Jordan offers a wealth of opportunities for travelers to immerse themselves in a welcoming, diverse corner of the world. According to the recently published Jordan and the Near East: An Emerging Adventure Destination - Opinions and Insights from International Media and Tour Operators, a vast majority of international buyers who attended AdventureNEXT Near East 2019 agree with that sentiment, firmly establishing Jordan as an adventure travel destination.
Prepared for travel companies considering selling Jordan, the newest report from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) highlights candid feedback and perspectives from 49 buyers from 15 countries who attended the regional travel trade event promoting the adventure and cultural product of Jordan and the Near East (MENA) region. The report provides market insights, details buyer experience, and includes a list of vetted suppliers.
According to the report’s survey, buyers noted Jordan as an adventure travel destination completely exceeded their expectations and they would recommend Jordan to their clients, friends, and family. Unsurprisingly, visiting Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was noted as a key experience, though spending time in the Wadi Rum Desert, hiking portions of the 650-kilometer Jordan Trail, and spending time with the Bedouin community also stood out.
AdventureNEXT Near East 2019 marked the third year of the regional event, and the compounding positive impact the events have had on the region are evident. Several tour companies have added or enhanced Jordan-related itineraries and international media coverage has reached nearly 1.6 billion people, introducing the country and Near East region to travelers from around the world. The report illustrates a similar interest in the area following the 2019 event, with 96% of buyers expressing a firm interest in adding new Jordan product as a result of their event attendance. Half are also considering adding Palestine (52%) and Egypt (50%) as well.
“As a result of the conference, I made immediate updates to my current Jordan itinerary,” said Cassandra Brooklyn, owner of EscapingNY. “I also added a Palestine extension to my Jordan itinerary and plan to work with contacts from other destinations represented.”
Jordan and the Near East: An Emerging Adventure Destination also provides data on Jordanian product currently being sold, based on a pre-event survey of buyers. At the time of the survey, data indicated the average Jordan trip length was six days and the average buyer had three Jordan itineraries available.
“Capturing the economic benefits of tourism is an important piece of the story in Jordan,” said Christina Beckmann, the ATTA’s senior director of strategy and impact. “Going forward we will also be looking at ways to measure a more expansive range of economic and environmental impacts.”
Jordan and the Near East: An Emerging Adventure Destination - Opinions and Insights from International Media and Tour Operators is now available to download for free for ATTA members and $99 USD for community members.