AMMAN — A conference room at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea was packed with Jordanian journalists, here for a press conference – held in English and Arabic – with TTAND, G Adventures, the Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian Airlines about the impact of Canadian tourism on Jordan.
Last year, Jordan received just 45,000 Canadian tourists, which the Jordan Tourist Board is hoping to boost in the coming years. But the packed room of journalists also indicated an interest in what this conference of nearly 300 Canadian travel agents would mean for Jordan.
Award winners at TTAND’s gala event in Jordan
TTAND founder and president Flemming Friisdahl told the press that he faced some pressure to cancel this year’s annual TTAND conference – being held in three locations across Jordan this week, including the Dead Sea, Petra and Aqaba, as part of an itinerary organized by G Adventures – over fear that the conflict in neighbouring Israel would spill into Jordan.
“We’re not here because I wanted to help support Jordan, we’re here because I believe Jordan is a safe place to be,” said Friisdahl. “And we looked at the stats. Every time someone did cancel because a family member thought they shouldn’t go, we had a new person jump on.”
Jordan, for its part, bills itself as the Switzerland of the Middle East.
After the press conference, TTAND’s gala evening kicked off with cocktails overlooking the Dead Sea, followed by dinner and an awards ceremony. The event included a speech by His Excellency Tarik Ali Khan, Canadian Ambassador to Jordan.
“Jordan is really important to Canada and to Canadians,” he said. “It’s amazing the strength of relationship that we have at the senior-most levels of government between Jordan and Canada.”
Much of his work as an ambassador is about strengthening those ties. “And that’s actually what you’re doing as well – you are also ambassadors, and you are bringing Canadians over here to Jordan, and that strengthens that relationship,” said Ali Khan.
He asked the crowd to raise their hand if it was their first time in Jordan. Most people in the room raised their hand. “So almost all of you. How many of you have family members or close friends who were concerned about you coming to Jordan?” Everyone raised their hand.
It’s a reason why he – along with the Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian Airlines – have been active supporters of the conference.
“We’re all so pleased to see you here, because you’re discovering what I think is the best-kept secret in the Middle East,” said Ali Khan. Jordan is the “source of ancient Arab culture, and you’re going to experience remarkable hospitality, remarkable food and remarkable experiences that you can share with your clients. It’s deep, it’s rich, it’s more than Petra.”
There’s also ancient Roman history, Biblical history and Crusader history. And there’s a rich Bedouin culture.
“It’s more than a short trip,” said Ali Khan. Many Canadians who come here do so as part of a package tour with neighbouring countries, such as Egypt. The message from the ambassador, the Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian Airlines is that Jordan can be a destination unto itself – not just a few days at Petra as part of a larger regional trip.
Throughout the evening, TTAND travel agents and agencies were presented with awards that recognized their achievements over the past year. The Peer-to-Peer Award went to Judith Coates.
Here are the other award winners, based on commission …
- Highest Average Rate of Commission (Primary Agent): Mandy Delve
- Highest Average Rate of Commission (Silver/Gold Agent): Steve Melling
- Highest Average Rate of Commission (Agency): Elevation Travel & Tours Inc.
- Highest Average Rate of Commission (Associate Agent): Mary Derabbie
- Highest Earned Commission (Primary Agent): Anna MacKay
- Highest Earned Commission (Silver/Gold Agent): Brian Paul
- Highest Earned Commission (Agency): Stewart Travel Group
- Highest Earned Commission (Associate Agent): Vanessa Dewson
- Highest % of Preferred/Approved Suppliers (Primary Agent): Denise Cesselli
- Highest % of Preferred/Approved Suppliers (Silver/Gold Agent): Belinda Cerrito
- Highest % of Preferred/Approved Suppliers (Agency): Jeffrey Cohen
- Highest % of Preferred/Approved Suppliers (Associate Agent): Christine Pilon