UNWTO members from the Middle East met in Jordan

13-06-23

Tourism leaders from across the Middle East have gathered to guide the development of the sector across the region, including as a driver of inclusive employment and rural development. The 49th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Middle East brought together high-level delegations from 12 countries at the Dead Sea in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to assess the current state of tourism in the region and advance shared plans for its future.

Middle East: First region to surpass pre-pandemic levels

For the Middle East, tourism represents an unrivalled driver of employment and opportunity, as well as economic diversification and resilience.

According to UNWTO data, the Middle East is the first region in the world to exceed pre-pandemic figures for international tourist arrivals so far in 2023.

Overall, international arrivals to Middle East destinations in the first quarter of 2023 were 15% higher than in the same period of 2019.