AITO to hold overseas conference in Jordan

AITO is to hold its overseas conference for travel agents and tour operators in Jordan for the first time.

Sponsored by the Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian Airlines, the conference will be the finale to AITO’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

It will take place from November 23 to 28 this year.

AITO chairman Derek Moore admitted the location was a controversial choice, but he said the Association had wanted a destination that wasn’t ‘obvious’.

Speaking at the annual AITO summer barbecue, Moore said: "Of course some members have said they won’t go to the conference because of the location and maybe we’ll attract slightly fewer delegates as a result, but others have said it’s a fantastic choice because it’s somewhere they’ve always wanted to go.

"It’s controversial but AITO has a history of showcasing interesting countries." Jordan was chosen from a short-list of nine countries.

Moore added: "We are excited about holding our 2016 conference in Jordan and look forward to working with the Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian Airlines on the event.

"The Kingdom has been described as a quiet street in a busy area, and has much to offer the visitor culturally, historically and scenically.

"Our time in the country will allow us not only to hold our business sessions on the shores of the Dead Sea but also to visit several of Jordan’s visitor highlights, including the Roman city of Jerash, the cultural magnificence of Petra and the scenic splendour that is Wadi Rum.

"It will, I’m confident, prove to be a splendid conference destination to mark AITO’s 40th anniversary year."

Chairman of AITO Specialist Travel Agents, Gemma Antrobus, said: "I’m really happy that we’ll be travelling to Jordan for the conference this November.

"The conference will be held at several locations throughout Jordan, including The Dead Sea and Petra, allowing conference delegates to experience some of the joys and magical experiences of the country.

"Jordan really is a must-visit destination and one that every AITO agent ought to know in greater depth, so that they can include it within their range of suggested mid-haul break holidays to clients."

Managing director of the Jordan Tourism Board, Dr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, said: "On behalf of the Jordan Tourism Board, we are thrilled to welcome all AITO members to the fascinating region of the Dead Sea in Jordan."

There will only be one day of business sessions during the conference, which will be held at the Movenpick Resort & Spa, Dead Sea. The business sessions will include topics on the retail travel trade environment, business management and the entrepreneurial arena.

Reducing the business sessions to one day only will allow more time for delegates to visit the country’s main attractions, said a spokeswoman for the tourist board, who said she had been working for years to attract the right tourism event in Jordan.

"It’s a great opportunity for independent tour operators from the UK to see what Jordan has to offer, to see how friendly the people are and hopefully for them to consider adding Jordan to their programmes," she added.

Travel to Jordan from the UK nose-dived last year, but it has since recoverd and numbers are up year on year, she added.