Investment in the Kingdom's tourism sector "has not stopped" despite the Covid-19 pandemic-induced repercussions, Minister of Tourism, Nayef Fayez, said.

Addressing a dialogue session held by Jordanian Economic Forum (JEF), Fayez said demand to establish tourism projects, whether tourist hotels and restaurants, or antiques shops did not stop, citing the opening of Ritz-Carlton Amman, which provides 500 job opportunities.

During the pandemic, he noted the Kingdom benefited from transit tourism, which contributed to reviving tourist movement in Aqaba and operating travel transport companies and offices, which was reflected in the "high" occupancy rates of hotels in Jordan's Golden Triangle, which includes Wadi Rum, Aqaba, and Petra, as well as in the capital, Amman, and other governorates.

According to a JEF statement on Saturday, Fayez reviewed axes of Jordan's national tourism strategy for 2021-2025, and the implementation mechanisms, adding that its pillars seek to develop the Kingdom's tourism product, human resources, marketing, management, heritage conservation and reforms.

Through the strategy, he said Jordan seeks to achieve and exceed 2019 levels by working to increase the tourist number by 2025 to top 2019 rates, in which Jordan welcomed 5.3 million visitors.

This effort also aims to achieve total tourism revenue similar to 2019 levels, which amounted to JD4.1 billion, by 2024, in addition to increasing direct employment in the tourism sector to exceed 2019 figures by 2023,according to Fayez.