‘Do not shop in Jordan, int’l tourists crossing from Israel instructed’

AMMAN — During trips organised by Israeli inbound travel agencies, which include a short stay in Jordan, tourists are often told not to "spend a penny" while in Jordan, stakeholders said.

Some package trips to Jordan and Israel are promoted and organised by Israeli agencies, in some Jordanian agencies function as mere "handlers", Jordan Tourist Guides Association President Hasan Ababneh said Sunday.

These Jordanian travel agencies agree on a percentage to "handle" the Jordan part of the trip with the Israeli agencies and "follow their dos and don'ts", he added.

For their part, these Jordanian travel agencies tell their Jordanian tourist guides not to stop for shopping, said the president.

"Some travel agencies in Jordan have no direct contact with international tourists overseas, which means they rely on other countries' travel agencies as mediators, Suleiman Abu Dalou, a tour operator, said.

"A large number of visitors comes mainly to neighbouring countries in trips that include short stays in Jordan with instructions to Jordanian "handlers" not to stop for shopping or even buy water", Imran Nuseirat, a souvenir shop owner, told The Jordan Times.

"Many tour leaders escorting groups from Israel to Jordan and back told us that the Israeli travel agencies instruct them not buy any souvenirs from Jordan," Nuseirat said.

"They tell their clients that all Jordanian products are 'made in China'," he claimed, adding that many tourists told him that the Israeli customs officials would confiscate any products with Arabic writing.

The shop owner stressed that he saw trip notes that read "no shopping in Jordan".

Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) Director Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat said that official bodies have no authority to compel tourists to buy.

He said that trips to Jordan also include crossing to Israel for a short stay, however, Jordanian travel agencies do not follow the practice of Israeli travel agencies.

Arabiyat said that some Jordanian travel agencies should be blamed for accepting such deals, which affect Jordanian foreign currency revenues.

The official noted that Israel allocates around $420 million for promotional programmes across the world, while JTB's budget does not exceed few millions.

"There are around 18 Jordanian travel agencies who handle those trips, they have to accept the Israeli agency's terms or else will lose the deal, which is better than nothing," a travel agent, who preferred to remain unnamed, said.