Khaberni - The Parliamentary Finance Committee, chaired by MP Nimr Al-Sleihat, discussed on Wednesday the budget of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Department of Antiquities, the Jordan Museum, and the Madaba Institute of Mosaic and Heritage Art for the fiscal year 2026.
This occurred during a meeting attended by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin, the ministry's Secretary-General Yazan Al-Khudair, the General Director of the Department of Antiquities Fawzi Abudanah, the General Director of the Jordan Museum Ihab Amarin, and the Director of the Madaba Mosaic Institute Ahmad Al-Amayreh, and the Acting General Director of the General Budget Department Ayman Abu Al-Rub.
Al-Sleihat emphasized the importance of the tourism sector to the national economy, pointing to Jordan's rich historical diversity and prominent archaeological sites led by Petra and the historical castles. He noted that the Department of Antiquities, operating under the Antiquities Law since 1988, is responsible for the maintenance of archaeological sites, exploring new sites, preparing them for tourism, as well as organizing services and issuing permits, holding exhibitions, and implementing projects funded by international grants.
He also revealed plans to study the possibility of offering some sites that need infrastructure development to the private sector under agreements that ensure the protection and maintenance of these sites.
Al-Sleihat noted that the budget of the ministry and the department amounted to about 16.3 million dinars, with a growth of 900,000 dinars, mostly in recurrent expenses, affirming the follow-up on the impact of these expenditures on the department's performance.
On his part, Hijazin reviewed the budget and plans of the ministry for the next year, explaining that Arab tourists, especially those coming from Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordanian expatriates, constitute about 75% to 80% of the total incoming tourists, while the percentage of tourists from Europe and the United States does not exceed 15%.
He added that foreign tourists contribute to stimulating economic activity on a wider scale because of their movement between provinces.
He also outlined the efforts made to develop the tourism product and enhance the competitiveness of the sector.
Abudanah confirmed the ongoing implementation of the department's tasks according to the Antiquities Law, including maintenance, exploration, service development, and leveraging projects funded by grants, exploring the possibility of offering sites in need of additional infrastructure to the private sector under agreements that ensure their safety.
Ihab Amarin highlighted the cultural and touristic importance of the museum, noting the need for greater support for maintenance and facilities, and the development of activities and efficiency of the staff.
He indicated that the museum's budget reached 1.1 million dinars, with an increase of 111 thousand dinars in recurrent expenses, due to the expansion of maintenance, operation, and improvement of services.
Ahmad Al-Amayreh explained that the institute works on preserving heritage and architectural and artistic restoration, emphasizing its role in training specialized technical staff since its establishment in 2007.
Members of the committee called for the development of tourism infrastructure in various provinces, improving services at archaeological and natural sites, facilitating access to them, and enhancing the role of local communities in managing tourism initiatives, alongside adopting modern strategies for digital marketing that highlight the diversity of the Jordanian tourism product, including adventure tourism, eco-tourism, and cultural tourism, to increase visitor numbers and raise the sector's contribution to economic growth.
