MCLEAN, VA — Canadians continue to flock to Jordan in record numbers, with a 22% increase in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. And now, relations between the two countries are expected to strengthen with the appointment of Deirdre Campbell to the Jordan Tourism Board North America (JTBNA).

Campbell, along with her company Tartan Group, will represent Visit Jordan across Canada. Based in western Canada, Tartan Group has worked within the international tourism industry for more than 16 years, with clients that include Adventure Travel Trade Association, Destination Canada (Connecting America) and the Cayuga Collection.

According to Malia Asfour, JTBNA’s Director, “Canada continues to be within our top five markets for Jordan, and thanks to the efforts of Frank and Marie LeFleche, who led our efforts within the Canadian market for over 12 years, Canadians’ desire to visit Jordan remains strong.”

On her new role, Campbell said: “I look forward to bringing Jordan’s many amazing stories and experiences to every corner of Canada. My first visit to Jordan was in 2012 where I spoke about marketing ecotourism and authentic experiences and I fell in love with the destination. I have big shoes to fill following in Marie and Frank’s footsteps, and they have created such a solid foundation for us to build upon.”

Interest in Jordan is expected to spike this year with the launch of the iconic Jordan Trail, a 650-kilometre continuous route that spans the entire country. Hikers may opt to hike the entire themselves, which would take approximately 36 days to complete, or incorporate sections of the trail into their Jordan journey.

In addition, several significant new hotel openings across the country are scheduled, including the Fairmont (Amman), St. Regis (Amman), W (Amman), Hyatt Regency (Aqaba), Jumeirah (Aqaba) and the Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa.

And taking place May 15-17, JTBNA will host the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s (ATTA) ‘AdventureNEXT Near East’, the first travel conference of its kind in the region. Canadian tour operators and travel media will be taking part to connect and build partnerships with Jordan and regional tour operators.