Рабочая встреча зам. председателя, директора РИДС В.А. Кононенко с зам. министра туризма и древностей Иордании господином Абедом Арабиятом

On 1st April 2018, at the Jordan Ministry of Tourism&Antiquities, Deputy Chairman&Director of the Russian-Jordanian Business Council (RJBC), Chairman of the RJBC Commission for Tourism, Culture and Religion, Mr. Valeriy Kononenko, had a working meeting with Under-Secretary of the Jordan Ministry of Tourism&Antiquities, Managing Director of Jordan Tourism Board, H.E. Mr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat.

The participants of the meeting discussed tourism cooperation prospects for Year 2018 and participation of the Jordan Ministry of Tourism&Antiquities’ leadership as well as Jordanian private tourism sector representatives in the IV International Exhibition «Arabia-EXPO 2018″ (23rd ― 27th April 2018), and the IV Session of the Russian-Jordanian Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation Development (November 2018).

Having considered troubled geopolitical circumstances in the region and their detrimental effect on a tourism market in Jordan, the negotiators, however, noted

a considerable increase in number of tourists from Russia visiting not only the traditional tourist attractions, such as the Red Sea and the Dead sea resorts, but also various historical sights, religious holy places and shrines including the Christ’s Baptism Site on the river Jordan.

The Russian Pilgrim’s Residence on the river Jordan created favourable conditions for development of pilgrimage (religious) tourism in Jordan and led to a growth in number of pilgrims interested in visiting other historical sacred places and religious shrines in Jordan in addition to the Russian Pilgrim’s Residence.

Therefore, the participants of the meeting considered the proposal to have an International Religious Forum, aimed at further development of pilgrimage and religious tourism in the region including Jordan, Israel, Russia, etc., at the Russian Pilgrim’s Residence on the river Jordan in September ― October 2018.

This Russian-Jordanian Business Council’s initiative was supported completely and fully by the Jordan Ministry of Tourism&Antiquities, the Jordan Tourism Board, the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, the Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Russian Federation, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the Department for External Church Relations of Moscow Patriarchate.

Summing up the meeting, the negotiators specified the ways for further cooperation in the abovementioned areas and other ones between the Russian-Jordanian Business Council and the Jordan Ministry of Tourism&Antiquities.