Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
96
Another project aimed at enhancing the economic impact on the host communities is the
“Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan,” launched by the Jordan Tourism Board and the American
non-profit organization Tourism Cares, in collaboration with social enterprises. It offers twelve
meaningful travel experiences in different towns to provide quality cultural experiences for
tourists while ensuring that the underprivileged local population benefit from it.336
Stakeholder Engagement
During the 1980s, Jordan followed a conservative economic policy by keeping the most vital
sectors under direct state control and largely excluding private stakeholder representatives
from taking part in the strategic development process. By the 1990s, the government began to
change its strategy and started to include the private sector in economic plans and strategies.337
In 1998, the Jordan Tourism Board was established in this context since a number of its
members represent the private sector, including airlines, hotel associations, tourist and travel
agencies, tourism transport companies, restaurants, traders, and guides associations.338
Through this public-private interaction, the private sector aims to raise awareness among policy
makers about the economic benefits of the tourism industry to influence the generation of a
legislative framework which favors investment and growth. This creates a collaborative
environment where awareness is raised about the importance and dependence of sustainable
practices in the industry and is reflected in the strategies and regulations established.
Funding
Both domestic and foreign sources are used to fund tourism sustainability activities. In terms of
domestic funding, both the government and the tourism industry have committed funds to
tourism sustainability activities. As for foreign funding, both bilateral and international
organizations have contributed funding to sustainability initiatives in Jordan. In 2013, USAID
launched an 18-month project, the Economic Growth Through Sustainable Tourism Project
(2013-2015), with the aim of continuing to improve Jordan’s competitiveness in the
international marketplace as a tourism destination in order to boost the country’s economy,
create employment, and engage women and youth. The objectives of this project included
strengthening the country’s tourism facilities and services, improving the management and
promotion of tourism sites, boosting marketing efforts and encouraging tourism of secondary
sites. It also aimed at increasing the employment of women and youth in the tourism sector. The
outcome of this project included supporting regulatory reform, diversification and enhancement
of tourism products, improvement of tourism education at universities, the development of
small to medium sized enterprises in the hospitality sector, such as camps, restaurants, and
hotels, and providing grants and funding technical assistance that foster public-private
partnerships and support job creation.339
336 Jordan Tourism Board (n.d.). Experience meaningful travel. Retrieved from
337 Alrawadieh, Z. (2010). The Jordanian national tourism system Retrieved from
338 Jordan Tourism Board. (n.d.). Retrieved from
embership+in+the+jordan+tourism+board.
339 USAID. (2017). USAID Building Economic Sustainability Through Tourism. Retrieved from