July 2005
In continuation of the two successful Jordanian-Israeli conferences held in March 2003 and June 2004, a third conference was held for Jordanian and Israeli businesspeople in Wittenberg, Germany in July 2005. The conference was dedicated to the tourism sector, which has great potential for increased regional and cross-border cooperation. The conference was organized jointly by the Peres Center and the Amman Center for Peace and Development, under the academic auspices of the Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics, and with the sponsorship of DaimlerChrysler, whose representatives actively participated in the meetings and accompanied the working process.
Israeli and Jordanian representatives from the tourism industry, during the Third Jordanian-Israeli Wittenberg Conference, July 2005
The objective of the conference was to enable businesspeople from both sides to meet and jointly discuss bilateral tourism links between Israel and Jordan, and potential avenues to expand tourism to the area. Under the present circumstances, it is not easy for Jordanian and Israeli businesspeople to meet face-to-face. In view of this, the conference provided a rare opportunity for Jordanian and Israeli businesspeople looking to expand their commercial opportunities, as well as for those that seek to partake in Jordanian-Israeli business dealings for the first time.
The participants included Jordanian and Israeli representatives of private sector businesses (travel agents and tour operators), as well as representatives of leading organizations in the field of tourism (the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association, the Jordan Society of Travel Agents, and the Jordan Hotel Association). The main topics of discussion included: avenues for solving obstacles to joint tourism, development of new and existing joint products, and mechanisms for better cooperation. In addition, the participants raised a number of practical ideas for joint projects between Israel and Jordan in this field.
Jordanian and Israeli representatives from the tourism industry discussing avenues for cooperation between Jordanian and Israeli tour operators, Wittenberg, July 2005
In concluding the conference, the Jordanian and Israeli participants signed a joint declaration emphasizing the need to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism: "Both sides agree to strengthen tourism by encouraging Jordanian and Israeli tourism professionals to expand communication, cooperation, and joint ventures. To that end, they announce their intention to actively promote the opening of border crossings and the facilitation of visa processes. Whilst they recognize the essential need for security safeguards and verifications, border crossings and visa-issuing processes should be simplified in order to enhance Jordanian-Israeli and international tourism to the region. In addition, joint marketing efforts and programs as well as familiarization trips and continued meetings between tourism professionals of the two countries are necessary elements of effective cooperation".
View the full text of the Joint Statement
